Meta pitch potential capacity programme for staff and stakeholders

Aspirants on social media stand to benefit from 'enhance electoral integrity' programme, an initiative of Meta (formerly Facebook) that seeks to build capacity of

key players in electoral process, safeguard online safety and provide reporting mechanisms for any violation in the use of WhatsApp, Facebook, Instagram and Messenger. This came to the fore during a consultative discussion between ORPP and Meta team today at ORPPKenya headquarters. Once the collaboration is firmed up, target groups comprising of staff and political parties’ representatives will be sensitized on personal and corporate use of social media under Meta brand with focus of identified areas of need. "We hope this initiative will help counter propaganda and reach out to many youths with appropriate messaging that will enhance their desirable participation in politics" ,Registrar pointed out during the deliberations. "Any violation of the prescribed code can be flagged out by both individual and corporate users and such can be reported for prompt action", said Meta's Head of Public Policy. Social media users were urged to shun from dissemination or propagating harmful information that negates the critical and modern-day positive contribution of new media.

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First coalition political party registered in new law

Azimio la Umoja One Kenya Coalition Party is now a fully registered political party comprising of 26 fully registered political parties according to its coalition agreement deposited and evaluated. The party was issued by the Registrar of Political Parties a certificate of full registration signed by the Registrar on 21^st April, 2022.This follows ORPP’s assessment of its deposited coalition agreement and found compliant with provisions of section 10 of Political Parties Act, 2011 and Political Parties (Registration) Regulations, 2019.“ Upon receiving of the coalition agreement and documents specified…, the Registrar shall scrutinize the documents deposited and if satisfied that the coalition agreement is in accordance with the PPA and the party constitutions or rules, issue a letter confirming that the coalition has complied with the Act..” reads section 21 (2) of the Parties’ Registration Regulations.

Designated coalition officials deposited the coalition agreement within the timeline of 1^st of April, 2022 during which the Registrar offered the requisite preliminary guidance in line with a pre-coalition checklist developed by ORPP and validated by political parties. The certification to the coalition grants the coalition party rights of a fully registered political parties including nomination of candidates for election under its name.

“The requirements for a coalition agreement are provided under the Third Schedule to the Political Parties Act, 2011. These include dispute resolution mechanisms, amendment of the coalition agreement and parameters of exiting or joining a coalition”, Registrar, Ann Nderitu on 7^th May, 2022 guided the parties on the overall subject of making of coalition agreements.

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Coalitions agreements deposited for scrutiny

Three pre- election coalitions agreements deposited for scrutiny

Ukombozi wa Majimbo Coalition presented its coalition agreement on 7^th May followed by Kenya Kwanza Alliance Coalition and Eagles National Alliance who deposited their coalition agreement to the Registrar of Political Parties on 8^th May. The Coalitions will be evaluated to meet threshold of Section 10 of Political Parties Act, 2011 and if confirmed, “upon issuing the letter of a coalition under sub regulation (2), the Registrar shall publish a notice in at least two newspapers with national circulation stating the name of the coalition and the political parties that are members of the coalition”.

 Left: officials of Ukombozi wa Majimbo Coalition, Right: Kenya Kwanza Alliance Coalition and Below: Eagles National Alliance present their coalition agreements to ORPP.

Badilisha Coalition Party Submits coalition agreement.

The Badilisha Coalition party deposited a coalition agreement to the Office of the Registrar of Political Party on 9^th April. "We will review the coalition to ascertain compliance with Section 10 of Political Parties Act, 2011 and Regulations thereof and give feedback to the applicants", guided the Registrar.

Badilisha Coalition Party officials present documents to the Registrar of Political Parties, Ann Nderitu (middle),Assistant Registrar, CPA Florence Birya( 2^nd left )and Manager Registration Locha Erukudi (left) at ORPP Headquaters, 4^th floor boardroom.

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Record set as over 7,000 independent hopefuls cleared by deadline

The Office of the Registrar of Political Parties has deadline of the 2^nd May,2022 cleared a total of 7,177 independent candidates to run for six elective positions. This marked over 64% rise in the numbers compared to the 2017 general election where 4648 independents were cleared. Those seeking to run as presidential candidates and Member of County Assembly rose sharply with the positions registering a total of 49 and 5,802 persons cleared respectively. Other positions included County Governor-105; Senatorial-150; County Woman Member to the National Assembly-108 and Member of National Assembly-963.

This fete was realised by a dedicated assigned ORPP personnel designated in teams with support of security and contracted personnel. They worked through the period beyond working hours and spared their weekend and holidays to process increased numbers especially in the last two weeks to the deadline. A dedicated service was designated at Westlands Primary School hall effectively serve the surging numbers. “We appreciate and acknowledge dedication and sacrifice that we have witnessed including helping out tech-challenged persons to this process: noted an applicant at Westlands Primary hall. Through the process, team assigned were on hand to give daily briefings and resolve in possible means any outstanding concerns. “It is our assurance that all applicants will be processed within stipulated timelines withservice delivery efficiency the ORPP is proud of”, assured Assistant Registrar, Ali Surraw on his visit to assess progress at Westlands primary hall.

In amendment to the Political Parties Act, 2011, in section 34 (fa,fb) mandates the Registrar to ; certify that an independent candidate in an election is not a member of any political party and the symbol intend ended to be used by the candidate  does not resemble the symbol of a registered political party. This is further anchored in Article 85 of the Constitution of Kenya, 2010 and Elections Act, 2011 prescribing the eligibility to stand as an independent candidate including not being a member of a registered political party at least 3 months immediately before the date of election.On clearance, persons were required to present submitted of the certified symbol and letter of intent to the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) for approval and eventual gazettement of successful names and symbols by 9^th May, 2022.

Applications for clearance as independent candidates began in February 2022 initially with manual application before the roll-out an online self service web-based system pegged on the Integrated Political Parties Management System (IPPMS, that was accessible till deadline through a portal: https://ippms.orpp.or.ke . The online  application platform contained features such as user registration, digital or online invoicing, online payment through M-Pesa, short message service (SMS) status notification to the applicant on each stage and interim clearance certificate on processing.

"We developed the independent candidates self service system to effectively manage the process and of the numbers we anticipated to e high from the start. The system also ensures that the process is professional, fair, and legitimate. Once they complete the registration in the portal, the system verifies and generates a certificate which we sign and give them," said Ms Nderitu in a media interview with a local television at the close of the exercise.

To improve the process, the assigned team collated valuable feedback from the applicants and stakeholders including staff and neighbouring community. The exercise report will also be consolidated as a record to the momentous exercise as well as inform policy and administrative interventions in Office subsequent interventions on the subject.

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