This PLS inquiry of the Political Parties Act, 2011 was undertaken by the Kenya Disability Parliamentarian Association (KEDIPA) with technical support from Westminster Foundation for Democracy (WFD). The inquiry sought to unravel the effectiveness of the Act, particularly in responding to the special needs of persons with disabilities (PWDs) after twelve years of the law’s implementation. 

The Constitution of Kenya, 2010 declares Kenya a multi-party democratic state. It guarantees political rights under Article 38, where every citizen is free to make political choices, including the right to form or participate in forming a political party. Further, every citizen has the right to free, fair, and regular elections based on universal suffrage and the free expression of the will of the electors. The Political Parties Act, 2011 was enacted pursuant to provisions of Article 92 of the constitution regarding management of political parties and to ensure that parties subscribe to the basic requirements under Article 91. These requirements include but are not limited to having a national character, abiding by the democratic principles of good governance and promoting democracy through regular, free, and fair elections and respecting the rights of all persons to participate in electoral and political processes.

This PLS report therefore presents findings on the status of implementation of the Political Parties Act, 2011. The assessment reviewed the implementation of the Act by various state agencies and constitutional commissions charged with the responsibility to implement the law. The assessment also included political parties and organisations of persons with disabilities (OPDs).