National Liberal Party eyes bigger slice of Ukambani as Wiper, NARC and Mabadiliko parties get caution over non compliance

By TCD TEAM

The National Liberal Party of Kenya is seeking to expand its influence in the Ukambani region amid growing scrutiny over compliance among some of the region’s dominant political parties. The party’s leadership says it sees an opportunity to strengthen its grassroots presence as regulatory pressure mounts on rivals accused of failing to meet national requirements.

Opposition leader Kalonzo Musyoka’s Wiper Democratic Movement – Kenya and Charity Ngilu’s National Rainbow Coalition are among parties that could face possible deregistration after being flagged for non-compliance with constitutional provisions on national presence.

According to a report by Nancy Gathungu, the Office of the Auditor‑General (Kenya) found that several political parties have not established sufficient offices across the country’s 47 counties as required by law. The audit indicated that some parties were unable to provide evidence of functioning offices or consistent political activities in multiple regions.

The report specifically cited Wiper and NARC for lacking adequate county offices, raising questions about their compliance with the provisions of the Constitution that require political parties to maintain a national outlook and presence beyond their traditional strongholds.

Other parties flagged in the report include the United Democratic Party (Kenya) and the Mabadiliko Party of Kenya, which were also found to have gaps in various parts of the country. Auditors noted that in several counties the parties either had no physical offices or could not demonstrate ongoing political engagement with members.

Political analysts say the findings could trigger closer scrutiny by the Office of the Registrar of Political Parties (Kenya), which is mandated to enforce compliance with legal requirements governing political parties in the country.

Meanwhile, the National Liberal Party has signaled plans to capitalize on the situation by expanding its structures in Ukambani, positioning itself as an alternative political force in the region traditionally dominated by Wiper and other established parties ahead of the next electoral cycle.

The National Liberal Party under Dr Augustus Muli has in the past months been on a nationwide recruitment drive and boasts of having over 25 county offices spread across the country and a membership of close to one million members.

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