How to Register a Chama in Kenya After the 2026 Court Ruling
Register your chama with the Social Development office: who must register, documents, fees and steps, plus what the 2026 High Court ruling changes.
By Kitabu Yetu Team
Last reviewed: 25 September 2026
To register a chama in Kenya, you apply to the Director of Social Development through your sub-county Social Development Officer or a Huduma Centre. You need at least 10 members, a constitution, minutes of the meeting where you agreed to register, and ID copies for every member. Registration as a self-help group costs about KES 1,100, and a decision is due within 14 days.
That is still the process today, even after the High Court ruling in September 2026. Here is what changed, and what you should do now.
What the 2026 ruling changed
In September 2026, Justice Lawrence Mugambi of the High Court declared the Community Groups Registration Act 2022 unconstitutional. The court found that Parliament consulted government agencies but did not give ordinary citizens a real chance to comment before passing the law.
The court did not strike the law down immediately. It gave Parliament six months to fix the defect.
| Question | Answer today |
|---|---|
| Is the Act still in force? | Yes, until midnight on 10 February 2027 |
| Can my chama still register? | Yes, under the same process and forms |
| Is an existing registration still valid? | Yes; reports of the ruling mention nothing that cancels certificates |
| What happens on 10 February 2027? | If Parliament has not re-passed the law with proper public participation, the Act stops having effect |
| What should I do now? | Register if you planned to, keep your records in order, and check back after February |
We will update this guide when Parliament acts or the deadline passes.
Why register at all? Banks and SACCOs ask for a registration certificate before opening a group account. Registration also lets your chama apply to government group-lending funds such as the Women Enterprise Fund, and gives members a formal record if a dispute reaches the authorities.
Who can register
Under section 9 of the Act, a group needs at least 10 adult members to register as a community group. A special interest group needs only 5; ask the Social Development Officer whether your group qualifies.
If your chama has fewer members, you can still run it informally with a written constitution and good records. Register once you reach the minimum.
Choose the right type before you apply:
| Type | Best for | Registration fee |
|---|---|---|
| Self-help group | Most chamas: merry-go-rounds, table banking, welfare and small investment groups | KES 1,000 |
| Community-based organisation (CBO) | Groups serving the wider community, not just their own members | KES 5,000 |
A chama planning to buy land or run a business at scale may need a company or a SACCO instead. Take legal advice before choosing that route.
Documents you need
Prepare these before you visit the office:
- Application form (Form 1, from the Social Development office or Huduma Centre)
- Proof of name reservation from the name search
- Constitution, signed by the officials
- Minutes of the meeting where members resolved to register and elected officials
- List of officials: chairperson, secretary and treasurer, with contacts
- Signed member list with each member's ID number and phone number
- Copies of national IDs for every member
Before you submit, check that every official has signed and that each ID copy matches a name on the member list.
How to register, step by step
- Hold a founding meeting. Agree on the group's name, purpose and contribution rules, adopt the constitution, and elect officials. Record the resolution to register in the minutes.
- Search and reserve the name. Submit two or three name options to the Social Development office. The search costs about KES 100.
- Complete the application. Fill in Form 1 and attach every document in the checklist above.
- Submit it. Hand the application to your sub-county Social Development Officer or at a Huduma Centre. There is no complete online route on eCitizen yet, so ask the office how to pay.
- Pay the fee. KES 1,000 for a self-help group, KES 5,000 for a CBO. Keep the receipt.
- Wait for the decision. Section 13 of the Act gives the Director 14 days to decide. In practice, allow up to 30 days.
- Collect the certificate. Once approved, you receive a certificate of registration. Make copies for the bank and your records.
- Open the group bank account. Take the certificate, constitution, minutes authorising the account, and the signatories' IDs and KRA PINs to your bank or SACCO. Banks usually want at least two signatories.
| Cost item | Self-help group | CBO |
|---|---|---|
| Name search | KES 100 | KES 100 |
| Registration | KES 1,000 | KES 5,000 |
| Total to register | KES 1,100 | KES 5,100 |
| Yearly renewal (from year 3) | KES 200 | KES 500 |
Fees are from the Community Groups Registration Regulations, 2026. Counties sometimes add small charges, so confirm at your office.
After registration: records and reports
Registration is the start, not the end. The Act sets out what a registered group must keep and report:
| Obligation | What it means | Where it comes from |
|---|---|---|
| Keep financial records | Books that "correctly record and explain" every transaction | Act, section 31 |
| Keep them for 7 years | Contributions, loans, fines and payouts, all retrievable | Act, section 31 |
| Report to the Director | A report on activities and finances at least every two years, by 30 June | Act, section 33 |
| Adopt the report at the AGM | Members approve the report before it is submitted | Act, section 33 |
| File an annual return | Form 10, due 31 March for the previous calendar year | Regulations, 2026 |
| Renew the certificate | Apply at least 2 months before it expires | Regulations, 2026 |
A chama that keeps its books in a notebook or WhatsApp group will struggle with the 7-year rule. Receipts fade, treasurers change, and the numbers stop matching the bank statement.
Kitabu Yetu keeps these records for you. Every M-Pesa contribution, loan and fine is posted to a double-entry book the moment it is paid, and each member gets a clear statement. At report time, the treasurer prints the year's figures instead of rebuilding them.
This guide is general information, not legal advice.
Sources
- Community Groups Registration Act, No. 30 of 2022 — Kenya Law (sections 9, 13, 31, 33)
- Community Groups Registration Regulations, 2026 (Legal Notice 154) — Kenya Law
- High Court declares Community Groups Registration Act unconstitutional — Citizen Digital, Capital FM, Streamline Feed (September 2026)
Kitabu Yetu keeps these records for you automatically.
See how the Bookkeeper worksFrequently asked questions
- Is it mandatory to register a chama in Kenya?
- Registration is how a chama becomes a recognised community group under the Act. Many small chamas run unregistered, but without a certificate they usually cannot open a group bank account or apply to government group funds.
- Can I register a chama online?
- Not fully. As of September 2026 there is no complete eCitizen route. Applications go to the sub-county Social Development Officer or a Huduma Centre.
- How long does chama registration take?
- The Act gives the Director 14 days to decide once the application is complete. Allow up to 30 days in practice.
- How much does it cost to register a chama?
- About KES 1,100 for a self-help group (KES 100 name search plus KES 1,000 registration) and KES 5,100 for a CBO.
- What is the minimum number of members?
- Ten adults, or five for a special interest group.
- Does the 2026 court ruling mean I should wait?
- No. The Act and its process stay in force until 10 February 2027. Registering now gives you a certificate to open a bank account and keeps your group ready for whatever law replaces it.