The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) has moved closer to introducing new rules to regulate campaign financing ahead of the 2027 General Election, with Parliament pushing the electoral agency to fast-track the process and gazette the regulations.
The commission on Friday engaged the National Assembly’s Committee on Delegated Legislation over the draft Election Campaign Financing Regulations, 2026 and proposed contribution and spending limits for political parties and candidates.
The meeting, led by IEBC Vice Chairperson Fahima Araphat Abdallah, who represented commission chairman Erastus Ethekon, was chaired by Samuel Chepkonga.
Mr Chepkonga said the committee had agreed to hold the pre-publication scrutiny meeting with the IEBC to seek clarification on the proposed regulations and give feedback before they are published.
The committee took note of the commission’s presentation and urged the IEBC to move expeditiously to finalise and gazette the regulations.
The engagement marks a significant step in the long-running effort to bring campaign financing under a clearer regulatory framework before politicians embark on what is expected to be one of Kenya’s most expensive election campaigns.
The proposed regulations seek to establish rules governing how candidates and political parties receive, manage, disclose and spend campaign money.
They provide for the appointment and registration of authorised persons, the opening and management of campaign financing accounts, recording and reporting of contributions and donations, regulation of campaign expenditure, disclosure and auditing of campaign finances, as well as compliance, enforcement and dispute-resolution mechanisms.
Speaking during the engagement, Ms Abdallah said the commission had a constitutional obligation to regulate campaign expenditure and was taking the responsibility seriously.
“The Constitution, under Article 88(4)(i), bestows on the Commission the mandate to regulate the amount of money that may be spent by or on behalf of a candidate or political party in respect of any election,” Ms Abdallah said.
“This is a mandate that the Commission has taken seriously since the enactment of the Election Campaign Financing Act in 2013.”
She described the parliamentary engagement as a critical step towards fulfilling the constitutional requirement ahead of the 2027 elections.
“Today’s engagement is therefore a critical step towards ensuring that IEBC realises the constitutional promise of election campaign financing regulation for the 2027 General Election,” she said.
Ms Abdallah said the consultations also offered an opportunity to ensure that the proposed rules were workable and took into account the views of political parties and candidates who would be required to comply with them.
“It is also an opportunity to ensure that the proposed regulatory framework is practical, responsive, and reflective of the views of those who will be directly affected by its implementation, namely political parties and candidates,” she said.
Battle over campaign money
The regulations could fundamentally change the way political campaigns are financed in Kenya, where wealthy candidates and parties have often enjoyed a significant advantage over competitors with fewer financial resources.
The IEBC says the proposed contribution and spending limits are intended to promote fairness, transparency and accountability while creating a more level playing field.
The commission wants to ensure that electoral competition is not determined by the financial muscle of candidates or political parties.
It said the objective was not to restrict political participation but to balance the need for meaningful campaigns with the protection of the credibility and integrity of elections.
“The objective is not to constrain political participation, but to strike an appropriate balance between facilitating meaningful campaigns and safeguarding the integrity, equity, and credibility of the electoral process,” the commission said.
The issue is particularly significant ahead of 2027, when President William Ruto is expected to seek a second term amid growing opposition mobilisation and intense competition for political alliances.
Political parties and presidential hopefuls have already begun building nationwide structures, mobilising supporters and positioning themselves for the election.
The campaign-financing rules will therefore come under close scrutiny from parties and candidates, particularly over how spending limits will be calculated and enforced.
Questions are also likely to arise over donations from individuals, companies and other entities, the use of campaign accounts and the mechanisms through which the IEBC will monitor expenditure.
Enforcement test
For the IEBC, however, establishing the regulations will only be the first step.
The more difficult challenge could be enforcing the limits once the campaign season gathers momentum.
Kenyan elections have traditionally been characterised by high campaign expenditure, with political actors deploying large financial resources for rallies, advertising, transport, mobilisation and other campaign activities.
The commission will therefore need effective monitoring and auditing systems to establish whether candidates and parties comply with the prescribed limits.
The regulations will also have to address reporting and disclosure requirements in a manner that enables voters, political parties and oversight institutions to scrutinise campaign financing.
The proposed framework provides for mechanisms for compliance, enforcement and dispute resolution, potentially giving the commission greater leverage over parties and candidates that breach the rules.
The IEBC said timely completion of the regulatory process would be essential as preparations for the 2027 election intensify.
“Ahead of the 2027 General Election, the Commission remains committed to ensuring that all legal and regulatory reforms are undertaken in a timely, inclusive, and transparent manner,” it said.
Parliament presses for action
The involvement of the Committee on Delegated Legislation gives the process an additional layer of parliamentary scrutiny before the regulations are published.
The committee's demand that the IEBC move quickly could increase pressure on the commission to complete consultations and resolve outstanding technical issues before the election campaign becomes more intense.
The commission has also signalled that it intends to consult political parties, the public and other stakeholders as it finalises the framework.
The IEBC said collaboration would be necessary to establish a system that can withstand scrutiny and ensure that campaign finance does not undermine the electoral process.
“We believe that through collaboration with the public, political parties and other stakeholders, we can establish a robust campaign financing framework that upholds the principles of constitutionalism, accountability, and electoral integrity,” the commission said.
The proposed regulations could ultimately become one of the most consequential electoral reforms ahead of 2027.
Beyond determining how much candidates can spend, the rules will test whether Kenya can move towards an electoral system in which political competition is driven less by financial muscle and more by policies, ideas and voters' choices.
