Registrar of Political Parties feted with state commendation

The Registrar of Political Parties, Ann Nderitu has been awarded the 1^st class Chief of the Order of the Burning Spear (C.B.S) in the Order of Burning Spear category by H.E. President Uhuru Kenyatta. This was in recognition of her outstanding public service spanning years in different responsibilities.

Congratulatory message to the Registrar  of Political Parties, Ann N. Nderitu, MBS, CBS shared to staff and stakeholder

In a  Kenya Gazette  Vol. CXXIV No. 134 of 8^th July , 2022, Ann Nderitu was among the 180 listed persons awarded different awards and honors.  The award is “In recognition of distinguished and outstanding service rendered to the nation in various capacities”… reads the Gazette’s conferment in part. The award build on a host of other accolades of the Registrar including previous  Moran of the Order of the Burning Spear (M.B.S).

Staff outpoured their congratulatory messages to the Registrar on the award, noting her strategic guidance that has resulted to building ORPP to become an institution  of international repute. “Hearty congratulations to our very own…for the award. The ORPP is glad to have an election management expert of international repute in our fold  and as our leader”, read the corporate congratulatory message shared to staff and stakeholders.

In her appreciation to staff, Registrar recognized the collective efforts and contribution of staff members to the gains made. “Thanks team members for the warm compliments. The award is for all of us as a team. We have delivered our mandate with diligence  and commitment. I appreciate each one of your for the commitment”, treasured the Registrar.

The award asserts the Registrar’s leadership acumen and mark especially in her lead role in advocacy for good governance, inclusion in political parties and vision for democratically  run political parties that uphold national values and principles of good governance.

“We had only the Political Parties Act when I came on board in 2018. We had to develop regulations and policies around the Act to strengthen the institution. We have since digitized the party register which used to be a big problem. The system allows one to be a member of only one political party at a time and rejects wrong data. The system can be queried through integration with other national databases such as the National Registration Bureau and the IEBC.

This way, we have been able to clean up the register and create openness,” said the Registrar in an exclusive feature titled “The Woman out to sanitize Kenya Politics with the Business Daily published on 25^th June, 2022.

The award comes hot in the heels of varied  milestones undertaken by the Office ahead of the 9^th August,2022 General Election as contained in its Election Master Plan. Some of the gains include; spearheading the Amendments to the Political Parties Act, 2011 and related legal reforms; development and roll-out of digital platforms for ease and efficiency in accessing and management of political parties’ membership register; capacity-building for various organs of political parties;  deployment of Monitors across the country to monitor political campaigns and other political activities; formulating and  unveiling of Kenya's Political Education Source Book and party Agents manuals; countrywide training for various targeted groups including Special Interest Groups;  sustained collaborations with stakeholders; roll out of peace caravans in mapped out hotspot areas; training of Political Parties Chief Agents; formulation of varied  policies  and guidelines among other milestones.

Presidential awards are conferred in recognition of one’s efforts in serving the country. The National Honors and Awards Committee advises the Head of State for awardees.

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ORPP unveils Kenya’s Political Educational Source Book and assorted parties’ Agents training resources

The Office of the Registrar of Political Parties (ORPP)  on July 19, 2022 launched the one of its kind Kenya’s Political Educational Source Book and a cache of other election political parties Agents  training manuals at Safari Park Hotel, Nairobi. The manuals included; Election Agents’ Manual, 2022 edition, Quick Guide for Party/Candidates Agents and Checklist for Election Agents  that was developed with the support of Hanns Seidel Foundation (HSF).

In the launch, officiated by the Chief Justice Emeritus, Prof. Githu Muigai, provided an opportunity for stakeholders to receive highlights of the publications and interrogate  ORPP’s  9^th August, 2022 election plan and its preparedness.

Varied speakers and stakeholders in the forum commended  coming to being of the publications  and recognizable efforts that ORPP had made in supporting political parties and targeted Special Interest Groups to actively participate in the 2022 polls. "We seek to sensitize and educate, political actors, its members and Kenyans on the roles of political parties, candidates and political party members so as to demystify proclivities surrounding political parties  and political parties. This book has synthesized entire Kenyan political landscape political, political party registration and regulation processes as well life-wellness topics to guide persons in politics including managing political outcomes”, said the Registrar of Political Parties, Ann Nderitu.

The Registrar further noted that the Source Book was modeled to promoting issue-based politics and strengthen political parties as institutions of democratic governance in Kenya.

The Chief Guest Prof. Githu Muigai noted that the county has made tremendous progress in managing political parties and conducting elections and therefore there is need to exercise tolerance and consultations by all political party actors and stakeholders. This protects the gains and credibility to progress management institutions created in this.

“I am privileged to join you in the launch of Kenya’s Political Educational Source Book and other Agents manuals because this is one of the ways to continue the struggle of strengthening political parties. I call on Kenyans  especially the youth to support our institutions to continue building the political system in our country,” said the former Chief Justice.

Former Chief Justice,  Prof. Githu Muigai addresses the guests during the launch

While highlighting in the covered areas in the Source book, Assistant Registrar, Ali Surraw, said that the Source Book was a very detailed and critical source of information that has been standardized to address diverse issues related to political parties and strategies for effective participation in the Political and electoral process. 

Key focus areas in the Source Books include legal framework governing political and Electoral processes, registration of political parties, membership of Political Parties, political party organization and management, political parties Fund administration, political party coalitions and mergers, political party primaries and nominations, management of political party conflicts; appropriate response to  political and election outcomes among others.

L to R; The Chief Guest , Prof. Githu Muigai, Registrar of Political Parties, Ann Nderitu, C.B.S., a section of ORPP officials, political parties representatives and invited guests participates the launch of the publications at the Safari Park Hotel, Nairobi

The Agents training materials seek to provide a common reference and information source for Agents across the levels from national to polling station agents. This seeks to equip them with necessary grasp of their roles and responsibilities, legal framework as well as election activities.

The launch came just days to the ORPP-led training of Presidential Chief Party Candidates Chief Agents  and subsequent country-wide parties’ Agents sensitizationheld between 23^rd to 30^th July, 2022.

Cover look of the publications launched, used for Agents training and disseminated during a countrywide training of party Agents

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Chief party Agents set for the polls upon ORPP two-tier training

ORPP spearheaded a three day training of the political parties' Agents in 15 clustered counties across the country from 27^th -29^th July, 2022. The training was aimed at building knowledge capacity for the Agents theoretical and practical grasp of their roles and responsibilities on the poll day.

Tana River County Chief party Agents during the training session in Tana river on 29th July 2022

In the sessions, issues of one agent, one party representation and Agents accreditation by Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) were among other topical issues that were deliberated and clarified by ORPP officers.

Through these trainings the Office seeks to help Agents to effectively participate in the polling processess that will enhance credibility and transparency of the election.

"As party agents, you need to understand qualities and scope of responsibility, key in promoting free, fair and credible election as Constitution of Kenya, 2010 so demands", it was noted in one of the sessions.

The trainers were expected to train further the Constituency and Polling station Agents within their party structures.

Agents were also supplied and guided on the use of; Elections Agents' Manual, 2022; The Quick Guide for Party/Candidates; Agents/Candidates Checklist and the Political Parties Source Book developed by the Office as some vital information reference materials.

IEBC official, Ms. Jackline Saleyian makes her presentation to Kajiado chief political party Agents  in Ongata  Rongai, Kajiado County

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Peaceful elections at the center of prayer conference

Assessment of electoral state of preparedness remain focal to varied actors days to the 9th August,2022. In this front, ORPP joined in panel discussion at a National Council of Churches of Kenya - (NCCK) convened forum dubbed, Religious Leaders' National Elections Conference. Registrar of Political Parties, Ann Nderitu as a discussant in the forum, urged for strict observance of the Political Parties Code of Conduct that prohibits among other, electoral violence, intimidation of opponents, bribery, ethnic incitement and illicit money in campaigns that ORPP monitors through monitors already present across counties and constituencies in the country.

"We have made headway in educating parties and citizenry; for instance, recently publishing and unveiling the first ever Political Education Source Book. The Source Book is a useful informational reference to be used beyond the General Election for political parties officials, members, election aspirants and candidates, political leaders as well as public," the Registrar informed.

The forum was also attended by Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC), Election Observation Group (KENYA), USAID Kenya, Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops(KCCB), Independent Medico Legal Unit IMLU, Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR) and Electoral Law and Governance Institute for Africa (ELGIA) among others.

Registrar of Political Parties (third from left) speaking in a team discussion of Religious Leaders’ National Election Conference on 28th July, 2022 at Ufangano house, Nairobi

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