Does a chama or self-help group have to register? The Community Groups law
Community Groups Registration Act, 2022 · sources read 5 Oct 2026
Registering a chama or self-help group is voluntary: a group may apply to the Director of Social Development if it wishes. To qualify the members must be adults with a common purpose and there must be at least 10 of them (5 for a special interest group). The Director must decide within 14 days. A registered group renews after 2 years and then every year, sends a report every two years by 30 June, keeps financial records for 7 years and reports changes of officials within one month.
- How long
- 14 days for the Director to register or refuse
- Deadline
- Renew registration after the first 2 years, then every year, applying at least 2 months before.
- Deadline
- Send the Director a report on activities and finances once every two years, by 30 June, after adopting it at the AGM.
- Deadline
- Tell the Director in writing of any change of officials within one month.
- Deadline
- Send an amended constitution to the Director within one month of the change.
- Where
- The Director of Social Development, through the social development office
What you need
- The group's constitution, attached to the application
Steps
- Agree a constitution. The law includes a Model Community Group Constitution that a group may adopt as its own.
- Apply to the Director of Social Development on the prescribed form, with the constitution.
- The Director must register or refuse within 14 days, and give written reasons for a refusal.
- If you disagree with the Director's decision, you can appeal in writing to the Cabinet Secretary.
Watch out
- A person convicted of a crime involving fraud or dishonesty can't be an official, treasurer or auditor of a group for 5 years after the conviction.
- A member of the group can't be its auditor.
- The constitution must name a treasurer, who must give members a full account of money received and paid at least once a year.
- Financial records must be kept for 7 years.
- Members have a right to inspect the register of members on reasonable notice.
- Diverting or misusing a group's resources is an offence with a fine of up to KSh 3 million, up to 2 years in jail, or both.
- A group registered by the national government before the Act started is treated as registered under it.
- The Act is in force: Kenya Law shows it commenced on 26 July 2022.
Who this covers
- Any group of people who wish to register; registration is not forced on a group.
- Members must be adults with a common purpose, and the group needs at least 10 members, or at least 5 for a special interest group.
- Groups formed to champion a political cause, Public Benefit Organisations and NGOs are not community groups under this law.
Official sources (1)
- Community Groups Registration Act (No. 30 of 2022) new.kenyalaw.org · read 5 Oct 2026