Annual Report 2020/2021

Abstract

This report covers the period ending 30th June, 2021 that summarizes the performance of the planned Office activities as outlined in the annual work plan. This report highlights achievements, challenges experienced during the year under review and proposes recommendations for adoption during implementation of 2020/2025 Strategic Plan.

Chapter one of this report contains a brief background of the Office of the Registrar of Political Parties, states the mandate, outlines the strategic direction, the organogram and the top management team. Chapter two highlights the performance of the Office based on the Key Result Areas as outlined in the ORPP Strategic Plan. These Key Result Areas include; Registration and Documentation of Political Parties; Regulation of Political Parties; Institutional Capacity; Strategic Partnerships and Collaboration, and Political Parties’ Participation in Elections.

During the period under review, the Office discharged its mandate of registration, regulation and administration of the Political Parties Fund. Key achievements included; processing applications for provisional and full registration of political parties; supervising and guiding the seventy-three (73) fully registered political parties on compliance; and administering nine hundred and fortyfive million, four hundred and seventy-eight thousand (KShs 945,478,000) to qualifying political parties. In respect to maintenance of political parties’ records, the Office upgraded the Integrated Political Parties Management System (IPPMS).

The Office also developed draft Political Parties (Amendment) Bill, 2021 and draft Political parties (Membership) Regulations, 2021. In addition, the ORPP produced thirteen (13) editions of internal bulletins, and enhanced media partnership and engagement. The Office capacity-built political parties through training of one hundred and eighty (180) political parties' governing officials and seven hundred and thirty-six (736) political parties’ agents for various by-elections carried out that year. In addition, the office constituted the Audit Committee to oversight the governance, risks and financial processes as per the Public Finance Management Regulations, 2016.

Chapter three focuses on the analysis of the office budget performance. As at 30th June 2021, the cumulative expenditure for the office was Kshs. One billion, two hundred and ninety-four million seven hundred and sixty-eight thousand seven hundred (Kshs 1,294,768,700) against a budget allocation of Kshs one billion three hundred and six million one hundred twenty-one thousand nine hundred ninety-one (Kshs. 1,306,121,991). This translated to 99.13% absorption rate.

Chapter four discusses the challenges faced and the recommendations. Key challenges included: COVID-19 pandemic, budgetary constraints, and inadequate staffing. The chapter also puts forth recommendations, including continuous engagement with relevant institutions to address budgetary and staffing shortfalls as well as explore and adopt alternative ways of engagement and operations in view of Covid-19 ramifications.