ORPP Submits Sh964 Million Budget for 2027 Elections, Warns of Funding Crisis

The Office of the Registrar of Political Parties (ORPP) has submitted a proposed budget of Sh964 million to facilitate operations and preparations for the 2027 General Election.

Registrar John Lorionokou presented the budget request to the National Treasury and relevant parliamentary committees on February 13, 2026, warning that the office is already facing a severe funding shortfall that has brought key functions to a halt.

Lorionokou said the current annual allocation has been fully exhausted, leaving the ORPP unable to process pending applications for registration of new political parties. “We have 32 new political parties whose applications are complete and ready for verification, but we lack the funds to carry out mandatory field inspections, background checks, membership audits and gazettement,” the Registrar said. “Without additional resources, these parties cannot be registered, and this creates uncertainty in the political landscape ahead of 2027.”

The Registrar explained that the proposed Sh964 million budget covers critical areas including digitalisation of the political parties register, nationwide verification exercises, capacity building for staff, public civic education on political party compliance, and logistics for the anticipated surge in election-related activities such as coalition agreements, nominations and party list submissions.

“We are projecting that by mid-2026, we will receive hundreds of applications for party registration, amendments to party constitutions, changes in leadership and coalition agreements,” Lorionokou said. “These processes require physical verification, legal review and stakeholder engagement—all of which demand adequate funding. If the proposed budget is not approved in full, we risk serious delays that could affect the credibility and timeliness of the 2027 polls.”

The funding crisis has already affected the registration of several parties that had hoped to participate in upcoming by-elections and the 2027 race. Applicants from across the country have complained of prolonged delays, with some waiting more than six months for site visits and document verification.

One aspiring party leader, who requested anonymity, said: “We submitted our application in July 2025 with all required documents, paid the fees and met every requirement. We have not received even a single site visit because ORPP says they have no fuel or facilitation allowance for officers. This is frustrating and unfair.”

The Registrar emphasised that the ORPP is not seeking luxury funding but essential operational resources. “The Sh964 million is modest when you consider the scale of the 2027 election,” Lorionokou said. “We are talking about verifying thousands of members, inspecting party offices nationwide, conducting public hearings, gazetting decisions and maintaining a secure digital register. These are constitutional obligations that cannot be postponed.”

The proposed budget also includes provisions for strengthening dispute resolution mechanisms, enhancing cybersecurity for the parties’ register and improving public access to information on registered parties and their leadership. Lorionokou noted that timely funding is critical to avoid last-minute rushes that could compromise the quality of verification and increase the risk of legal challenges.

The National Treasury is expected to respond to the request during the 2026/27 budget process. Parliamentary committees on Finance and Justice have already scheduled hearings on the ORPP’s funding needs, with some MPs expressing concern over the potential impact of underfunding on electoral preparations.

The Registrar appealed to Parliament and the Treasury to prioritise the budget. “We are not asking for extravagance,” Lorionokou said. “We are asking for the bare minimum required to perform our constitutional mandate. A fully functional ORPP is essential to free, fair and credible elections in 2027.”

Political parties awaiting registration have urged the government to expedite the funding. “We cannot participate effectively in the democratic process if we remain in limbo,” said a representative of one of the pending parties. “The ORPP needs resources now, not after the election date has been set.”

As Kenya approaches the 2027 General Election, the ORPP’s funding crisis has emerged as an early warning sign of potential logistical and credibility challenges if the proposed budget is not fully approved and disbursed in time.