President Uhuru Kenyatta's ally and National Assembly Majority Leader, Amos Kimunya, has waged a war against the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC).
This comes after IEBC chairman, Wafula Chebukati, published a Gazette Notice announcing a cap on how much politicians are allowed to spend in their campaigns leading to the August 9, 2022 General Election.
During a Parliamentary session on Tuesday, August 10, Kimunya led MPs in reading the riot act against IEBC arguing that the National Assembly did not have ample time to discuss the motion.
“I doubt if the campaign financing regulations will see the light of day. IEBC has been lying idle yet we are financing them with billions every year. You cannot be spending Ksh40 billion every five years to conduct an election," argued Kimunya as quoted by The Standard.
National Assembly majority leader Amos Kimunya at ACK Passenga Parish, Nyandarua County on May 9, 2021
"There is something fundamentally wrong given the technology we have in this country; it should not be costing more than Ksh10 billion.”
His sentiments were backed by National Assembly Minority Leader, John Mbadi, who challenged his colleagues to reject the gazetted capping.
“The fact that regulations are brought here does not mean the House will approve them. In the event they are not approved, IEBC should have provided us enough time even for reconsideration of the issues contained in the Campaign Financing Regulations," stated Mbadi.
“They are in violation of our Standing Orders and interference with the people’s sovereign power that’s being exercised in this House. They should keep quiet until we write to them so that they know, whether we will have this Campaign Financing Regulations."
It was revealed that the regulations were tabled in Parliament on Thursday, August 5, before they were gazetted on Monday, August 9.
In the notice IEBC Chairman, Wafula Chebukati, pegged the highest figure at Ksh17.7 billion for political parties.
The IEBC chair further noted that an individual donor is only permitted to donate 20 per cent of a party's entire spending which is pegged at Ksh3.5 billion.
Presidential aspirant's campaign spending was also capped at Ksh 4.4 billion.
Failure to adhere to the set capping, individuals found liable of exceeding the set budget are liable to 'a fine not exceeding two million shillings or a term of imprisonment not exceeding five years or both.'
This comes even as the race to succeed President Uhuru Kenyatta intensifies with the 2022 General Election coming up in exactly 363 days from today (August 9).
Deputy President William Ruto has already expressed interest in ascending to the top seat on a United Democratic Alliance (UDA) party ticket whose messaging is centered on empowering the youth.
Former Prime Minister Raila Odinga, on the other hand, is yet to declare his interest but talk is rife that he is considering vying through the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) party which he heads.
