KISUMU, Kenya Jul 27 – The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) has renewed its commitment to implementing election campaign financing regulations ahead of the 2027 General Election, marking a significant step toward enhancing transparency, accountability and fairness in Kenya’s electoral process.
Speaking during a public participation forum on the Draft Election Campaign Financing Regulations, 2026, in Kisumu on Monday, Acting IEBC Chief Executive Officer Obadiah Sunkuli said the commission is determined to finally operationalize a legal framework that has faced repeated delays since the enactment of the Election Campaign Financing Act, 2013.
Sunkuli emphasized that the draft regulations remain open for public input, assuring political parties, aspiring candidates, civil society organizations and members of the public that their views would shape the final framework.
“You are not here to rubber-stamp anything. We are here to hear you,” Sunkuli told stakeholders attending the forum.
The Acting CEO noted that previous attempts to implement campaign financing regulations before the 2017 and 2022 General Elections were derailed by legal and procedural challenges, but maintained that the commission remains committed to fulfilling its constitutional mandate.
“This is a continuation of a journey that we started a long time ago. We have faced legal and procedural challenges, but we are not giving up,” he said.
The nationwide public participation exercise, he explained, is aimed at ensuring the regulations are practical, responsive and reflective of the realities facing political parties and candidates ahead of the 2027 elections.
According to Sunkuli, the proposed regulations seek to establish comprehensive guidelines governing campaign financing, including appointment and registration of authorized campaign officials, opening and management of campaign bank accounts, recording and reporting of campaign donations, regulation of campaign expenditure, auditing of campaign finances and compliance, enforcement and dispute resolution mechanisms.
The framework also proposes contribution and spending limits intended to curb excessive financial influence in elections while ensuring candidates have sufficient resources to campaign effectively.
“They seek to ensure that electoral outcomes are determined by the free will of the people rather than by the disproportionate influence of financial resources,” Sunkuli said.
Sunkuli stressed that the objective of the regulations is not to limit political competition but to safeguard the credibility of Kenya’s elections by creating a level playing field for all candidates.
“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,” he said.
He urged stakeholders to submit honest and constructive feedback, assuring them that all views would be considered before the regulations are finalized.
The Acting CEO added that experiences shared by political parties, community mobilizers and election stakeholders would help the commission develop a framework that is constitutionally sound and capable of addressing the realities of campaign financing in Kenya.
Sunkuli also acknowledged the support of Transparency International Kenya in advancing electoral reforms, noting that the organization has played a key role in promoting transparency, accountability and integrity in Kenya’s democratic processes.
As preparations for the 2027 General Election gather pace, he reaffirmed the commission’s commitment to inclusive reforms.
“We believe that through collaboration with you, 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,” he said.
The Kisumu forum is part of a nationwide public participation exercise through which the IEBC is collecting views on the Draft Election Campaign Financing Regulations, 2026, and proposed campaign contribution and spending limits before the framework is finalized for implementation ahead of the 2027 General Election.