Govt extends deadline for NGO law compliance
Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen said the extension takes effect from May 14, 2025, under Regulation 5 (1) of the Fifth Schedule to the Act.
The government has extended the transition period for public benefit organizations to comply with the new regulatory law by one year, giving non-compliant entities until May 13, 2026, to register under the Public Benefit Organizations (PBO) Act.
In a gazette notice dated May 14, Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen said the extension takes effect from May 14, 2025, under Regulation 5 (1) of the Fifth Schedule to the Act.
The move comes amid concerns by the Public Benefit Organizations Regulatory Authority (PBORA) that a majority of organizations have not yet aligned with the new law, which replaced the old NGO Act.
The PBO Act came into force on May 14, 2024, following its gazettement by then Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki.
"It is shocking that out of the 14,000 NGOs we have registered, only 4,000 are compliant. It is important that they align with the law that is being operationalised for the benefit of all," said PBORA Director General Dr. Laxmana Kiptoo during a media briefing in Nairobi.
"You cannot demand accountability from the government if you yourselves are not compliant," he added, addressing civil society organizations.
The law, which had been stalled for over a decade since its enactment in 2013, is now the standard framework for registration, regulation and management of civil society organizations in Kenya.
In a statement ahead of the Act’s commencement last year, then Interior CS Kithure Kindiki said the law brings structure and transparency to the sector.
"The Act expedites their registration process, reduces chances of whimsical administrative discretion in the registration of PBOs, closes all windows for arbitrariness and offers a litany of tax and other benefits for registered PBOs," he said.
He added that the PBO Act "fortifies the country’s democratic credentials" and backs Kenya’s values of open and accountable governance.
President William Ruto also weighed in at the time, saying the government recognized the essential role of civil society in civic education, awareness, inclusion and participation.
He noted that under the old NGO law, civil society operated under a “chaotic mechanism” with nearly eight overlapping laws governing their work.
"The NGOs can now understand how registration will happen and how to conduct business," said the President.
The law provides a modern regulatory framework for all entities engaged in public benefit activities, including faith-based organizations, community groups, companies limited by guarantee and public trusts involved in fundraising.
