The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) has entered the final phase of developing a new election campaign financing framework, marking a significant step towards tightening oversight of political funding ahead of the 2027 General Election.
The Commission's Technical Working Group (TWG), with support from Transparency International Kenya (TI-Kenya), is consolidating views gathered during nationwide stakeholder consultations and county public participation forums before submitting the final regulations for approval and gazettement.
The exercise comes amid growing public concern over the influence of unchecked campaign spending, opaque political donations and the role of money in determining electoral outcomes.
Speaking during the opening of the committee's retreat, Technical Working Group Chairperson Obadiah Keitany, who represented the Commission Secretary and Chief Executive Officer, said the extensive consultations had generated diverse proposals that would help shape a practical and inclusive legal framework.
He praised members of the committee for successfully engaging political parties, civil society organisations, government agencies and members of the public across the country, saying the feedback would strengthen the credibility of the final regulations.
"The wide range of submissions received demonstrates the importance Kenyans attach to transparent and accountable campaign financing. Our task now is to harmonise those views into regulations that are practical, enforceable and responsive to the country's electoral environment," he said.
The proposed framework seeks to operationalise provisions of the Election Campaign Financing Act, a law that has remained largely unimplemented for years despite being enacted to regulate campaign donations and expenditure.
IEBC Director of Legal Services Chrispine Owiye said the review process is central to the Commission's constitutional obligation to safeguard free, fair and credible elections.
He said stronger regulations would help establish clear standards governing campaign contributions and expenditure while promoting transparency, accountability and integrity throughout the electoral process.
According to the Commission, the committee is now preparing the final Stakeholder Engagement and Public Participation Report alongside harmonised Draft Election Campaign Financing Regulations.
It will also develop proposed campaign contribution and spending limits and compile supporting documentation for consideration by the Commission before the regulations are gazetted.
Once approved, the regulations are expected to provide legal guidance on how much political candidates, parties and their supporters can spend during election campaigns, how campaign funds should be sourced and disclosed, and the mechanisms for monitoring compliance.
Election observers have long argued that the absence of enforceable campaign financing rules has allowed wealthy candidates and financiers to exert disproportionate influence over electoral contests, creating an uneven playing field and undermining public confidence in democratic processes.
Political analysts say introducing clear spending ceilings and disclosure requirements could reduce the influence of illicit funding, discourage vote-buying and promote greater accountability among political actors.
The nationwide consultations attracted submissions from political parties, civil society organisations, election experts, development partners, youth and women's groups, religious organisations and ordinary citizens, reflecting broad public interest in reforming campaign financing laws.
Transparency International Kenya, which supported the stakeholder engagement process, has consistently advocated stronger safeguards against corruption in electoral processes, arguing that transparent political financing is essential to protecting democratic governance.
