Ruto names former IEBC Returning Officer John Lorionokou as Parties Registrar » Capital News

NAIROBI, Kenya, Aug 15 – President William Ruto has nominated John Cox Lorionokou as the new Registrar of Political Parties, replacing Ann Nderitu whose tenure has ended.

State House said it had forwarded Lorionokou’s nomination, made on the recommendation of the Public Service Commission, to the National Assembly for vetting and approval in accordance with the law.

“The President has formally transmitted these nominations to the National Assembly for consideration and approval, as required by law,” read a statement from the Executive Office of the President.

Lorionokou previously served as a returning officer for the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) in Kisumu in 2017.

Alongside Lorionokou, President Ruto has nominated Agatha Wanjiku Wahome as Assistant Registrar of Political Parties.

The Office of the Registrar of Political Parties plays a critical role in Kenya’s political landscape, overseeing the registration, regulation, and funding of political parties under the Political Parties Act.

In the same announcement, State House said the President had also nominated Claris Awour Onganga for consideration by Parliament as Chairperson of the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR), following recommendations from a selection panel appointed via Kenya Gazette Notice No. 4651 of April 11, 2025.

If approved, Lorionokou will become the second Parties Registrar after Ann Nderitu, now an IEBC Commissioner.

Nderitu exited the posting in July at the end of her tenure which commenced in 2018 when she became the first woman to hold the position.

The ORPP is a constitutional body established under Article 260 of the Constitution and the Political Parties Act, 2011.

It manages the registration, regulation, and financing of political parties through the Political Parties Fund, playing a key role in strengthening Kenya’s democratic, multiparty system.