Voters queue to vote during a past election. /FILEFord Asili has set December 31 as the deadline for individuals seeking to contest elective positions on its ticket in the August 2027 General Election to register as members.
The party is encouraging prospective aspirants seeking to run on its ticket to apply for membership before the deadline, as political parties begin aligning their internal processes with the strict electoral timetable set by the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC).
In a notice issued by the party's National Executive Committee, Ford Asili said prospective aspirants must apply for membership through *509# by December 31.
The party has set life membership at Sh2,000, while nomination fees will vary depending on the position being contested.
Those seeking the governor's seat will pay Sh100,000, senators Sh50,000, Woman Representatives Sh30,000, members of the National Assembly Sh20,000 and Members of County Assembly Sh15,000.
Persons with disabilities will receive a 25 per cent reduction on the nomination fees across all categories, according to the notice.
The announcement comes as parties and prospective candidates face a series of binding IEBC deadlines that must be met ahead of the August 10, 2027 General Election.
The commission has described the timelines as legally binding requirements necessary for the orderly conduct of the electoral process.
One of the earliest deadlines affecting political parties is October 15, 2026, when parties intending to participate in the election must submit the names and specimen signatures of their authorised persons to the IEBC.
Parties must also have their nomination rules certified by the Registrar of Political Parties by October 30, 2026.
The certified rules must then be submitted to the IEBC by November 6.
The timetable then moves closer to the parties' internal nomination processes, with March 16, 2027 set as a key deadline for party membership and primary aspirants.
“Political parties shall also submit the names of candidates contesting in their party primaries, together with the dates and venues of the primaries,” IEBC said in the gazetted timelines.
The Commission's Election Operation Plan lists March 16 as the deadline for submission of party membership lists, alongside the names of persons participating in party primaries.
It also provides for the conduct of party primaries from March 17 to April 10, followed by a period for resolving intra-party disputes.
Ford Asili's December deadline therefore gives the party several months to identify and organise its potential candidates before the formal IEBC processes begin.
The party's registration drive comes at a time when political parties are increasingly positioning themselves ahead of the 2027 contest, with the IEBC timetable requiring them to settle key organisational issues well before Election Day.
After the party nomination phase, the IEBC timetable provides for the submission of successful party nominees, with candidate registration by the commission scheduled between May 29 and June 11, 2027, depending on the elective position.
The official campaign period will run from May 29 until August 7, three days before the August 10 election.
