Public Benefit Organizations Regulatory Authority (PBORA)

PBORA is the state corporation responsible for registering and regulating charitable organisations in Kenya, now called Public Benefit Organizations (PBOs). Under Section 42 of the PBO Act it registers and de-registers PBOs, keeps the register of PBOs with their sectors, affiliations and locations, receives and reviews their annual reports, advises the Government on the role of PBOs in development, and provides advice and training to the sector.

Organisations register online through PBORA on eCitizen. The applicant first reserves a name (three names in order of priority), then drafts a constitution using PBORA's prototype, which must include the name, main and specific objectives, a January–December financial year and the exact dissolution clause. The application is submitted with the constitution, minutes, a one-year budget, the eCitizen forms, passport photos, police clearance certificates and the prescribed fee. PBORA checks that the main objective has a clear charitable purpose and defined beneficiaries, then issues a certificate of registration, which is the legal proof that the PBO exists and may operate in Kenya. After registration PBOs file annual reports, notify the Authority of changes of officials or name, and get official letters for banking. PBORA can open inquiries into PBOs that do not comply with the law and monitors organisations at risk of terrorism-financing abuse. Disputes go to the PBO Disputes Tribunal.