Legislative term is five years. Under the new multiparty system, presidents may serve no more than two five-year terms. Some 13 unregistered parties have applied for registration. The best known is Safina whose secretary-general is Dr Richard Leakey, IPK, and Kenya Patriotic Party of Dr. Munyua Waiyaki. There is universal suffrage for all citizens over 18.
Voting is by secret ballot at the party nomination stage.
Secret ballot general elections among the top three candidates are then held. Electoral supervision is by central government civil servants. The next elections are scheduled to be held by December 1997. But elections could be called earlier.