The end of year retreat went down from 13th to 17th December, 2022 at premier hotel - English Point Marina, Mkomani, Mombasa. As it is customary, the retreat provided an opportunity for staff to reflect on the year that was, gain knowledge from invited expert speakers, chart best strategies forward as well as share some merry.
Key to the Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (IDEA) supported occasion, staff were granted an opportunity to provide input to the critical draft ORPP Post-Election Evaluation report. The report puts chronicles observations, challenges and corresponding recommendations to each of the undertakings of the Office’s role before and during the August 2022 general election. These included; registration of political parties; review of election/nomination rules;legal and ICT reforms; capacity development initiatives; certification of independent candidates ; monitoring of party nominations; registration of coalition/coalition political parties; chief agents’ training, political and public education; general election monitoring among other impactful milestones.
The Registrar of Political Parties Ann Nderitu in her address in the meeting, provided vital nuggets on staff value to the institution in line with their respective job descriptions (JDs) while gaining personal development tapped from myriad opportunities ORPP offers. While welcoming the new staff the registrar analogized the functioning of an institution to a factory, where any dysfunctional system breaks the entire chain hence rendering it impossible to realize the final product/mandate intended. “Check your JDs regularly and fit them into the Political Parties Act, 2011 where we draw our existence. Assess back every month to take stock of value you have created to the entire chain”, Registrar posed while noting if one as staff proves no value-addition, then it is the sure path of one self-rendered irrelevant and redundant.
She further enumerated the professional ethos that ORPP staff must operate in line with the ORPP approach to work where everyone is required to do their job well and innovatively and deliver beyond set timelines.
“While appreciating your commendable contribution especially in the run-up and during the 2022 general election, I call on you as a member of staff to reflect on who you are professionally and in a personal front. Look at the extent to which you have practiced professional traits such as punctuality, etiquette, dress code, confidentiality, adherence to set policies and Codes and positive mental attitude”, Registrar advised.
Moving forward, she called for staff to always endeavor for transformative behavior as guided by a raft of lessons learned in expert presentations during the meeting. She cautioned that even as all reflect not only as an institution but as individuals and wayward behavior will not be tolerated. “We have to re-invent ourselves to change our path to count to the building of greatness our country through the responsibilities placed to each one of us as ORPP fraternity”, she summated.
Registrar of Political Parties addressing ORPP staff during the end-of-year staff retreat
In the meeting, stakeholders present noted the fruitful and cordial engagement they had had with ORPP. “Pride yourselves as you are way ahead in regulation and governance of political parties as compared to most of the countries in the world”, appreciated Gram Matenga, Programme Manager for the Africa and West Asia region in his address during the meeting. Other stakeholders drawn from the Coast region corroborated his sentiments while making remarks as they were presented with ORPP gift hampers as appreciation of sustained collaboration with ORPP. Their identification was by the ORPP Mombasa based Office team.
Mr Gram Matenga, IDEA’s Programme Manager for the Africa and West Asia region making his remarks during the ORPP staff retreat.
The end of year meeting was organized by ORPP’s Human Resources Management and the assisting team. In the sessions, besides reinvigorating team building engagement, staff were engaged on: Staff Mortgage and Car Loan Scheme; Public Service Code of Ethics; Overview of Retirement Benefits; Financial/Mental Wellness and Retirement Planning; Grooming Etiquette and Protocol among other edifying areas of discussion.
The Office of the Registrar of Political Parties (ORPP) on 3rd October commemorated the 2022 Customer Service, held a reflection session at the headquarters and a section of regional offices.
Registrar of Political Parties, Ann Nderitu and CPA Florence Birya with a section of staff lead in cutting a cake to celebrate staff contribution to service delivery in the 4th floor boardroom, headquarters
Running ORPP-contextual theme, was in appreciation of staff commitment to quality service delivery and dedication to exceptional service during the electioneering period. The session was marked by sharing confectionaries, flowers (show of love and appreciation in service) and holding a moment of reflection in which the top Management and staff shared milestones in customer experience and identifying areas for improvement.
Speaking during the session to ORPP’s staff at the headquarters boardroom , Registrar of Political
Parties Ann Nderitu thanked the staff for their unwavering contribution to the Office, especially during the electoral cycle activities, which had them work beyond the call of duty and the set timelines. She commended the staff for their passion to serve the country in their respective areas of designations and posting that boosted on the Office’s corporate identity.
“ Not withstanding your cadre, you hold your respective positions in trust of the citizens, therefore, you should utilize this rare opportunity to leave a mark in your role so that you set structures that outlives you”, said the Registrar.
She further noted the need to strive to build a model institution that stands out as a benchmark and sets itself apart.
Registrar of Political Parties makes her remarks using rose flowers bouquet as a symbolic gesture to acknowledge exemplary performance staff especially in the electioneering period
“Our focus should be on establishing and sustaining institutions that runs effectively and serves beyond its statutory obligation,” advised.
The Registrar also took the opportunity to remind ORPP staff for strict adherence to the Office’s Service Delivery Charter service commitments and timelines in offering services as well as observing the Staff Code of Conduct. She urged for coordination between departments to ensure a seamless flow of activities and address gaps in customer service on sharing of information and response time to customers.
On her part, the Assistant Registrar CPA Florence Birya noted that serving in ORPP in various capacities was indeed a privileged opportunity and staff need to embrace it and give the service expected of them, because every customer deserves good service.
Assistant Registrar of Political Parties, CPA Florence Birya speaking during the forum
“We have as an Office proven over time our quality od service that has made a name for ORPP brand nationally and continentally. This is demonstrated in the relationship built with our customers, the standards of service and policies that govern our culture. Together we can set the bar even higher- ‘Mgemema akisifiwa asitie tembo maji’,” analogized, the Assistant Registrar. Staff who spoke accorded dedication exhibited by all staff. “We have done well in service our customers and we can only do better, noted Josephat Nyongesa of ICT with Jacqueline Kosgei of Human Resources Management appreciating holding such an internal reflection meeting to take stock of the institutional service model with a view to celebrate internal just as external customers.
Such commemorations were concurrently held in some ORPP regional offices. In Mombasa, staff lead by Regional Coordinator Ezekiel Obonyo hosted team for cut-sharing and lunch meeting while in Kisumu and Nakuru, regional heads, John Mwaura and Lucy Kemunto led their teams in sharing branded gift hampers with stakeholders neighboring their office blocks.
L: ORPP Mombasa region team share a cake with staff and some stakeholders to mark the customer service week on 3rd October 2022
R: ORPP Nakuru Office gifted clients on commemoration of customer service week
Insightful engagement between ORPP and National Electoral Board of Ethiopia- NEBE - on their peer to peer exchange visit about political parties processes and parties regulation that happened on 4th October, 2022.
The team was taken through political parties registration, compliance, and Administration laws, procedures, and guidelines as is in the ORPP's mandate. Discussions also revolved around successful programs the Office rolled ahead, during, and post the 2022 general election. Such included monitoring of party activities; legislative and ICT reforms; verification of political parties' membership at varied stages; capacity building initiatives for different target groups among others.
"Our processes and operations are bound by the Constitution, Political Parties Act,2011, and other laws that the Office abide by in all its processes and aligned to its strategic direction, "CPA Florence Birya noted.
Registrar of Political Parties lead ORPP officers during a National Electoral Board of Ethiopia (NEBE) who paid a courtesy visit on 4th October at the headquarters
The Registrar Ann N. Nderitu gave highlights of the history of ORPP and the country's political parties' journey that has broadened the attainment of the citizens' political rights as enshrined in the Constitution of Kenya. "ORPP is proud of its regulatory role of political parties resulting in them being sustainable and foundational governance institutions as found in their constitutions. As an Office, we have made deliberate to promote, protect and support inclusion measures for special interests groups in our programming and continue to entrench such in party leadership for a balanced political landscape", Registrar guided.
A section team had an opportunity further engage their ORPP peers on technical aspects of various dockets including ICT internal systems, compliance measures, institutional structure,s and co-shared expert experiences between the two institutions. "We will put to practice our learning from this insightful session as we try to recalibrate our country's political management model ', appreciated Chairperson NEBE, Birtukan Midekssa Deme.
The visiting team also comprising of European Centre for Electoral Support , Kenyan and Ethiopian-based officials, included NEBE Board members and staff in the ICT and political parties departments.
ORPP team, ECES and NEBE visiting guests pose for a group after the meeting at Lion place, 4th floor boardroom
Right; Registrar of Political Parties address frontline staff comprising of clerks and customer service personnel in a sensitization forum on 28th October, 2022 at Empolos hotel , Nakuru. Left: Participants in a group photo after the insightful sessions conducted by a section of senior staff and a representative of the Commission on Administrative Justice (CAJ)
Frontline staff are a critical human capital segment that shapes corporate reputation and contributes to the impactful delivery of services. ORPP is deliberate in building capacity to deliver a wide range of services to the stakeholders. In an ORPP frontline sensitization held on 27th and 28th October 2022, the group was taken through varied areas to enhance understanding of ORPP brand standards, professional conduct, customer experience practices & cascading of customer experience framework, records, and customer data management, mechanisms for Office Resource Centre's information, resources access portals among others.
" This training seeks to build your capacity as front officers to actualize the Office resolve for customer experience in all processes, records, and customer data management within principles of access to information and data protection", said Registrar of Political Parties, Ann Nderitu in the forum.
"The ORPP as a global model regulator of political parties will continue to create brand harmony by streamlining processes as part of efforts to efficiently deliver services and serve Kenyans with honor and decorum", noted the Registrar.
The country's resilience and growth of democracy is demonstrable. This is reflected in Kenya's elaborate election legal framework & processes; the establishment and strengthening of election-bearing institutions and their proper functioning and discourse by citizens. The Registrar of Political Parties, Ann Nderitu CBS, also an election and governance expert spoke about this today in an interview with National Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC) and European Centre for Electoral Support (ECES) interview for a documentary to chronicle the democratic journey in the country.
"It is my pride and passion to see Kenyans enjoy their political rights with responsibility courtesy of the long journey of political parties regulation and their growth that many individuals and institutions have over the years contributed to", noted Registrar. She called for civic engagement on ideologies and party policies that resonate with modern issues amongst all players including the citizens to demystify negative narratives on politics and political parties as they are pertinent to democratic governance. "My vision for the country is its attainment of strong democracy based on a vibrant multi-party system and a robust civil service committed to serving the country".
Registrar during an interview with European Centre for Electoral Support (ECES) crew at the headquarters on 7th November
The Registrar spoke on a raft of issues on the milestones of ORPP, especially in the previous election cycle, lessons learned in the 2022 general election, democratic-bound reforms, stakeholder collaborations and the impact of the Political Parties Fund among others.
The documentary to be released in due course is part of ongoing Pro-Peace Kenya Project for Promoting Peace and Cohesion by Preventing and Mitigating Electoral Conflict in the post-election period.