How to join, resign from a Political Party

The lifeline of a political party is on its members. The Political Parties Act places members at the core of Kenyan parties so as to allow them to play roles in the society.

Since a political party is a legal entity with its own rights and responsibilities, it has a liberty within its constitution to decide who and the criteria one needs to satisfy to become a member. But all members must be Kenyan citizens and registered voters. A person shall not be a member of more than one political party at the same time.

The Registrar is the custodian of all the political parties membership database.

It is an offence to register a person as a member of a political party without their consent. A political party must at any time keep updated and accurate party membership list to be available for the members and the public at the party head office and all party county offices

Membership Recruitment Process 

Political parties recruit members using the specified Party Membership Verification Forms. The party constitution must spell out the membership recruitment requirements. The party must keep and continuously update a membership list. The recruitment process includes the following elements:

⦁ Duly filled prescribed forms in respect of every member of the party and are duly signed.

⦁ The party must introduce membership card of a specific standard.

⦁ The party and the member must complete the member verification form.

⦁ The party forwards details of the member through the Intergrated Political Parties Management System (IPPMS).

⦁ The Registrar verifies and validates the uploaded membership in the IPPMS.

⦁ Once a person’s has been verified into the membership register of a political party, the person becomes a member of that party.

Resignation from Political Party 

A member of a political party who intends to resign from the political party shall give a written notice prior to his resignation to—

⦁ the political party;

⦁ the Clerk of the relevant House of Parliament, if the member is a Member of Parliament; or

⦁ the Clerk of a County Assembly, if the Member is a member of a County Assembly.

Resignation documents submitted to the Registrar should include a copy of:

⦁ Resignation letter from a member received and stamped by a political party.

⦁ National ID, or valid Passport used to register as a voter.

The resignation of the member of the political party shall take effect upon receipt of such notice by the political party or Clerk of the relevant House or county assembly.

The political party of which the person is a member, the member, or the clerk of the relevant House of Parliament or of a County Assembly of which the person is a member shall notify the Registrar of such resignation within seven days of the resignation.

Upon receiving the notification, the Registrar shall cause the name of such member to be removed from the membership list of that political party. Download Political Party Membership Manual for full details