The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) has invited Kenyans and stakeholders to submit memoranda on proposed regulations that will govern election campaign financing, as the electoral agency moves to strengthen the legal framework ahead of the 2027 General Election.
In a public notice issued on Tuesday, the Commission said it is seeking views on the draft Election Campaign Financing Regulations and the Election Campaign Contribution, Spending Limits and Authorised Expenditures framework.
The draft documents have been published on the Commission's website, with members of the public, political parties, civil society organisations and other stakeholders encouraged to review them and submit their proposals before the deadline of Wednesday, July 15, 2026.
"Submit your memoranda for Election Campaign Financing Regulations and the Election Campaign Contribution, Spending Limits and Authorised Expenditures," the Commission said.
According to the electoral agency, submissions may be sent electronically through its official email address or delivered physically to the Customer Experience Centre at Anniversary Towers in Nairobi or any IEBC office across the country.
The public participation exercise comes as the Commission steps up preparations for the 2027 General Election, where campaign financing is expected to be one of the key issues in ensuring credible, transparent and competitive elections.
The proposed regulations are anchored in the Election Campaign Financing Act, 2013, a law enacted to regulate the source and use of campaign funds by political parties, candidates and referendum committees.
The Act was introduced to curb excessive spending in elections, enhance transparency in political financing and promote a level playing field among candidates by setting limits on campaign contributions and expenditure.
Although Parliament enacted the law more than a decade ago, its implementation has repeatedly been postponed through amendments approved by lawmakers. Critics have argued that the delays have left Kenya without an effective legal framework to regulate campaign spending, despite concerns over the growing influence of money in elections.
Successive elections have been characterised by allegations of extravagant campaign expenditure, opaque funding sources and unequal access to financial resources, with election observers and governance organisations calling for stricter enforcement of campaign finance laws.
The IEBC has in previous election cycles published draft spending limits for presidential, gubernatorial, parliamentary and county assembly candidates, but implementation has faced legal and political challenges.
The latest review seeks to establish comprehensive regulations on campaign contributions, expenditure ceilings, authorised campaign expenses, record keeping and reporting obligations by candidates and political parties.
Election experts have long argued that effective regulation of campaign financing is essential in reducing electoral corruption, limiting undue influence by wealthy financiers and improving public confidence in the electoral process.
Public participation
The Commission said views received from the public will help refine the regulations before they are finalised and operationalised.
The Constitution requires public participation in the development of laws and regulations affecting governance, making the exercise a key step before the proposed framework can be adopted.
The notice forms part of the Commission's broader voter engagement campaign under the #TalkWithIEBC and #YourVoteYourVoice initiatives, while also complementing its ongoing efforts to combat election-related misinformation through the #StopFakeNews campaign.
The call for memoranda comes as the IEBC also finalises preparations for the July 16 by-election, with stakeholders expected to submit their recommendations on the proposed campaign finance regulations before the close of business on Wednesday.
