↩ Back to WYDE

Kenya’s Registrar of Political Parties, John Cox Lorionokou, joined ENoP and European democracy actors in Brussels for three days of exchange on political party regulation, democratic participation and regional cooperation.

From 16 to 18 September, John Cox Lorionokou, Registrar of Political Parties of Kenya, visited Brussels as part of the WYDE Political Parties programme, bringing the perspective of one of Africa’s political party regulatory authorities into conversations with European institutions, civil society and the wider democracy support community.

The visit combined participation in the International Democracy Day Brussels Conference and the presentation of the Global State of Democracy Report 2026: Democracy in an Age of Conflict with meetings and exchanges with civil society organisations, democracy support practitioners and institutional partners.

At the centre of these conversations was a fundamental question: how can strong, trusted regulatory institutions contribute to more accountable and inclusive political party systems?

From regulation to public trust

A dedicated meeting between Lorionokou, ENoP and DG INTPA, including the Kenya Desk, provided an opportunity to discuss the work of Kenya’s Office of the Registrar of Political Parties (ORPP) and the country’s preparations ahead of the 2027 electoral cycle.

The exchange explored ORPP’s work in monitoring political party compliance, supporting internal dispute resolution mechanisms and promoting more inclusive participation. With a national office and 13 regional offices, the institution works with political parties before, during and after electoral periods, combining regulatory oversight with capacity building and public outreach.

Particular attention was given to the importance of transparency and public trust. Lorionokou highlighted ORPP’s efforts to help citizens better understand how political parties operate and the rules they are expected to follow, including outreach through regional offices and local radio. The discussion also addressed emerging challenges around disinformation, media literacy and the growing impact of AI on electoral information environments.

The meeting also explored political participation, including initiatives within political parties to create spaces for women and young people to engage, learn about internal party processes and develop their political participation.

Connecting national experience with regional cooperation

The visit also provided an opportunity to connect Kenya’s experience with a broader regional ambition.

ORPP Kenya is one of the three founding authorities, alongside ORPP Malawi and the Political Parties Regulation Commission (PPRC) of Sierra Leone, working towards the establishment of the African Association of Political Party Regulatory Authorities (AAPPRA).

Developed with support from the WYDE Political Parties project and KIC, AAPPRA aims to create a continental platform for peer learning, technical exchange and cooperation among political party regulatory authorities — connecting national expertise and creating opportunities to address shared regulatory challenges collectively.

John Cox Lorionokou’s visit to Brussels therefore brought together two dimensions of the same conversation: strengthening political party regulation at national level while building stronger connections between institutions across countries and regions.

Visit at a glance

Dates: 16–18 September 2026
Location: Brussels, Belgium
Guest: John Cox Lorionokou, Registrar of Political Parties, Kenya
Key engagements: Global State of Democracy Report 2026; meetings with civil society and democracy support organisations; International Democracy Day Brussels; meeting with DG INTPA and the Kenya Desk
Project: WYDE Political Parties – funded by the European Union
Regional cooperation: African Association of Political Party Regulatory Authorities (AAPPRA)

↩ Back to WYDE