The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) has proposed new rules that seek at preventing dirty money obtained through corrupt deals from campaign financing ahead of the 2022 General Election.
In its draft Elections Campaign Financing Regulations 2021, the commission now wants all donor’s identities revealed a failure to which the contributions made through proxies shall be remitted to the state within 14 days.
“To prevent dirty money obtained through corruption or organized crime from infiltrating the political system and thereby influencing public decision making the regulations require the proxy to disclose name of the contribution, postal address, identification number, nationality and the amount,
“Where the proxy does not disclose or is unable to disclose the information required under this regulation, then the contribution shall be treated as anonymous under the Act and these regulations,” the regulations read in part.
According to IEBC, a candidate or a political party that fails to disclose the source of campaign funds shall be disqualified.
The commission led by chair Wafula Chebukati has warned that candidates who will be found to have violated the new proposed financing campaigns rule will be liable to a fine not exceeding KSh2 million or a term of imprisonment not exceeding five years or both.
Furthermore, all the 2022 political aspirants are only required to utilize their campaign funds six months prior to the General Election where the expenditure period shall lapse 14 days after the declaration of the results.
The new proposed regulations come at a time when there is controversy over the official date of the 2022 General Election which had been planned for August 9, 2022.
Whereas promoters of the Building Bridges Initiative (BBI) are pushing for the postponement of elections, politicians allied to Kenya’s Deputy President William Ruto are against attempts to delay the elections.
