Interior and National Administration Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen has extended by one year the transition period for non-governmental organizations seeking registration under the Public Benefits Organizations (PBO) Act.
In a notice dated May 12, 2026, Murkomen said the extension takes effect from May 14, 2026, pursuant to Paragraph 5(2) of the Fifth Schedule to the Act.
“It is notified for the general information of the public that, pursuant to Paragraph 5(2) of the Fifth Schedule to the Public Benefits Organizations Act, the Cabinet Secretary for Interior and National Administration further extends by one year the period within which a non-governmental organization shall seek registration as a public benefits organization under the Act,” the notice reads.
The extension gives NGOs additional time to comply with the requirements of the law, which regulates the registration and operations of public benefits organizations in the country.
It comes days after the Public Benefits Organizations Regulatory Authority issued an advisory announcing that all NGOs previously registered under the repealed law had automatically transitioned into PBOs and were therefore not required to apply for fresh registration.
The advisory followed parliamentary approval of the PBO Regulations, 2026, marking the commencement of the full implementation of the PBO regulatory framework in Kenya.
The Authority noted that the law requires it to maintain an updated register of all PBOs operating in the country, including details on governance, areas of operation, and organizational records.
To facilitate the update of the register, national and international PBOs are required to submit, through the eCitizen platform, particulars of their governing bodies, revised constitutions aligned with the PBO Act, minutes containing resolutions on transition and constitutional amendments, as well as copies of their certificates of registration issued under the repealed Act.
Upon submission and verification of the required documents, the Authority will issue organizations with certificates under the PBO Act bearing new registration numbers, while retaining the initial registration date and previous registration number to support seamless engagement with donors, partners, service providers, and government agencies.