The Ministry of Interior has extended the deadline for non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to transition to the new Public Benefits Organizations (PBO) legal framework.
In a special Gazette Notice dated May 12, Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen extended the deadline by one year.
According to Murkomen, organizations currently operating as NGOs will now have until May 14, 2027, to seek registration as Public Benefits Organizations under the Public Benefits Organizations 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-government organization shall seek registration as a public benefits organization under the Act,” the gazette notice stated.
Murkomen Extends NGOs Transition Deadline to 2027 Under New PBO Law
The extension takes effect from May 14, 2026, meaning NGOs now have until May 2027 to complete the transition to the PBO framework established under the Public Benefits Organizations Act, 2013.
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This comes after the Public Benefit Organizations Regulatory Authority announced that organizations registered under the repealed NGOs Co-ordination Act will automatically transition to the Public Benefit Organizations (PBO) Act framework without having to apply for a fresh registration.
In a notice dated Thursday, May 14, 2026, the Authority explained that NGOs previously registered under the NGOs Co-ordination Act No. 19 of 1990 are not required to undergo a new registration.
“Following the operationalization of the PBO Act, 2013, effective May 14, 2024, the Authority, under the guidance of the Cabinet Secretary for Interior and National Administration and in consultation with stakeholders, embarked on the process of developing PBO Regulations. This was aimed at providing a framework for the management and oversight of PBOs,” the Authority stated in a notice.
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Documents Required for Submission
All NGOs were directed to update their records in line with Regulation 43 of the Public Benefit Organizations (PBO) Regulations, 2026, as part of the transition process.
The Authority stated that both national and international NGOs will be required to provide updated information and supporting documents to facilitate their inclusion in the official register.
Documents required include details of the organization and its governing body, a revised constitution aligned with the PBO Act, and minutes that contain resolutions approving entry into the PBO register.
Organizations will also be required to submit copies of certificates issued under the repealed NGO law.
Part of the notice stated that the minutes should contain resolutions approving “entry into the PBO Register as a PBO in accordance with the PBO Act, 2013.”
Information and documentation will be submitted through the eCitizen platform through a link that will be provided in due course
