Multipartyism was introduced in Kenya in 1992 by the late Daniel Arap Moi, who was then the president. Ever since numerous parties have mushroomed within the political arena. At the moment, the country has over thirty political parties.
Kenyans can now confirm which parties they have been registered knowingly and or unknowingly through the office of the registrar political parties, ORPP.
IPPMS has been integrated within the E-citizen platform and it is accessed free of charge according to the Registrar of political parties and among other things meant to manage and maintain the database for political parties’ records.
A pilot version of IPPMS was temporarily deactivated after many Kenyans who accessed the platform protested being registered in parties without their consent, which raised questions over the security of citizens’ data.
Political formations in any given country are legal entities with their rights and responsibilities. On this account, each establishment has its criteria and latitude in deciding what one needs to satisfy to become a delegate. The eligibility for membership is stipulated in the political party’s constitution.
Political parties recruit members using the specified membership verification forms. These forms are duly filled and signed by every member. Once a member has been entered into the membership register of a given political party, he or she becomes a delegate.
Considering that the membership register has to be continuously updated, members have to keep checking their membership status. Fortunately, the process has been made easier through an online portal.
How to join a political party in Kenya
- The formation’s set of rules must clearly define the requirements for membership recruitment.
- The establishment must provide membership cards of a specific standard
- The membership verification form must be filled by both the formation and the delegate
- The membership list must be kept and continuously updated by the party
- The establishment must maintain and update a list of membership dues paid following the formation’s constitution
How to check political party membership status in Kenya and how to resign
- Go to the ORPP website, https://orpp.ecitizen.go.ke/
- Scroll down to the bottom-left corner and click on Membership status -status-kenya.html
- Enter your email address or ID Number
- If you already have an account, go to https://accounts.ecitizen.go.ke/login, Enter your email address or ID Number, then the password. You can use the same link to resign from a p[political party