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A fresh audit has placed several prominent political outfits on the spot over failure to meet constitutional requirements on national presence.
The 2024/25 report by Auditor General Nancy Gathungu flags compliance gaps that could see some parties facing deregistration.
Among those cited is the Wiper Patriotic Front linked to opposition leader Kalonzo Musyoka.
Also listed is the National Alliance Rainbow Coalition, associated with former Cabinet minister Charity Ngilu.
The audit indicates that Wiper and NARC have not maintained functional offices in at least 24 counties as required by law.
Under the Constitution and the Political Parties Act, a fully registered national party must operate in more than half of Kenya’s 47 counties.
According to the findings, some regions lacked physical offices, while in others the parties could not demonstrate sustained political activity.
The report further flagged the United Democratic Party and Mabadiliko Party for similar breaches.
Failure to comply with the national character threshold places the affected outfits at risk of being struck off the register of political parties.
Deregistration would significantly weaken their political standing, limiting access to public funding and participation in future electoral processes.
The revelations come at a politically sensitive time, as parties begin positioning themselves ahead of the next General Election cycle.
For Wiper and NARC, both of which have played visible roles in past coalitions, the findings raise questions about grassroots structures beyond their traditional strongholds.
It now remains to be seen whether the affected parties will move swiftly to regularise their status or challenge the audit’s conclusions.
The spotlight is firmly on their compliance, and the clock may already be ticking.
