How Kenya’s Political Parties Fund Distributes Millions Annually

The Office of the Registrar of Political Parties (ORPP) recently announced the annual disbursement from the Political Parties Fund, sparking interest in how allocations are determined among Kenya’s political parties.

Established under the Political Parties Act, the Fund is primarily financed by the National Government, contributing 0.3% of national revenue. Additional sources include party membership fees, donations, and contributions. However, not all registered parties qualify for funding.

Eligibility Criteria

To receive an allocation, a party must meet specific legal requirements:

• No more than two-thirds of its registered office bearers can be of the same gender.
• The governing body must include representatives from Special Interest Groups (women, youth, persons with disabilities, and marginalized communities).
• The party must have at least one elected official—Member of Parliament, senator, governor, or Member of County Assembly.

Distribution Formula

Once eligible, a party’s share is calculated using a statutory formula based on the preceding General Election results and representation:

• 70% of the fund is distributed proportionally to the total votes each party secured.
• 15% is allocated based on the number of Special Interest Group candidates elected.
• 10% depends on the total number of elected representatives per party.
• The remaining 5% covers administration of the Fund.

This system results in significant variations in funding. For the latest cycle, the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) received approximately Ksh550 million, followed by the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) with around Ksh294 million, and Jubilee Party with nearly Ksh129 million. Other parties like Wiper Patriotic Front and Democratic Action Party-Kenya (DAP-K) received Ksh68.8 million and Ksh30.2 million, respectively.

Usage Restrictions

Funds must be used for specified activities such as promoting political participation among Special Interest Groups, civic education, election-related expenses, and communicating party policies. At least 30% of the funds are mandated for Special Interest Group initiatives, while administrative costs cannot exceed 30% of the allocation.

The Political Parties Act was amended in 2022 to revise eligibility and distribution rules, enabling more parties that participated in the 2022 General Election to benefit from the Fund.