The Office of the Registrar of Political Parties (ORPP) has trained political party agents ahead of the Ol Kalou by-election scheduled for July 16, 2026, as part of efforts to strengthen transparency and compliance during the electoral process.
The capacity-building session, held in Ol Kalou, brought together agents representing nine registered candidates drawn from various political parties expected to participate in the by-election.
The parties represented included the ruling United Democratic Alliance (UDA), Jubilee Party, People's Renaissance Movement (PM), Democracy for Citizen's Party (DCP), People's Democratic Party (PDP), Federal Party of Kenya (FPK), National Liberal Party (NLP), Party of National Unity (PNU) and Kenya Moja Movement (KMM).
The training forms part of ORPP's constitutional mandate to prepare political parties for participation in electoral processes and enhance compliance with election laws and regulations.
Speaking during the session, ORPP Compliance Officer Loserian Tukei underscored the critical role played by party agents in safeguarding the integrity of elections.
"Election agents must be fully conversant with polling and electoral procedures. They should be alert and promptly bring forth issues to the authorised polling officials as well as document the happenings during the conduct of the election as prescribed in various electoral reporting tools and avenues," Tukei said.
He urged agents to conduct themselves professionally and ensure they uphold the law while representing their respective candidates and political parties.
Officials from the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) also took participants through polling day procedures, accreditation requirements and the management of election materials.
Nyandarua County Elections Manager Nancy Wanjiku briefed the agents on the handling of strategic and non-strategic election materials, including the Kenya Integrated Election Management System (KIEMS) kits.
"It is only authorised and duly accredited persons who shall be allowed into polling stations and the tallying centre," Wanjiku said.
She also reminded party agents to observe the electoral code of conduct and comply with legally prescribed voting timelines throughout the exercise.
The training focused on equipping agents with practical knowledge of electoral laws, regulations and procedures to enable them to effectively represent their parties while promoting peaceful, transparent and credible elections.
The Ol Kalou by-election is expected to attract keen political interest, with nine candidates seeking the parliamentary seat.
Election observers have often cited well-trained party agents as an important safeguard in ensuring accountability, transparency and public confidence during elections, as they monitor voting, counting and tallying processes on behalf of candidates and political parties.
