The race for elective seats in 2027 could become even more expensive after the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) unveiled proposed campaign spending limits that stretch into billions of shillings, prompting concerns that wealthy politicians will have an even greater advantage over candidates with limited financial resources.
The proposed Election Campaign Financing Regulations have revived debate on whether the country's elections are becoming too expensive for ordinary Kenyans. While the commission maintains the proposed ceilings are only meant to regulate campaign expenditure, critics argue the figures could make high-cost campaigns the norm and discourage capable but financially struggling aspirants from seeking office.
The draft regulations are intended to implement the Election Campaign Financing Act by setting the highest amount candidates and political parties can spend during election campaigns. The limits are based on the size of the population and the geographical coverage of each electoral area.
If approved, a presidential candidate will be allowed to spend up to Sh4.4 billion during the campaign period, while political parties will be permitted to spend as much as Sh17.7 billion.
The regulations are still at the proposal stage and will undergo public participation before being submitted to Parliament for consideration.
The draft sets combined spending ceilings of Sh5.63 billion for ward elections, Sh5.26 billion for constituency contests and Sh2.39 billion for county races.
Governorship candidates will face different spending limits depending on the county they seek to lead. Turkana has been allocated the highest ceiling of about Sh123 million because of its vast land area, followed by Nairobi at Sh117 million.
Other proposed limits include Sh114 million for Marsabit, Sh103 million for Wajir, Sh88.7 million for Garissa, Sh72.2 million for Nakuru, Sh68.4 million for Tana River, Sh66 million for Kajiado and Sh61.9 million for Kilifi.
For candidates in those counties, spending the maximum amount allowed could leave them serving an entire five-year term without recovering the money spent on campaigns through their salaries.
According to the current Salaries and Remuneration Commission structure, governors earn a monthly gross salary of Sh924,000, while senators and woman representatives each receive Sh739,600.
The proposed spending ceilings have already drawn criticism from election observers, who fear they could make elective seats less accessible to many Kenyans.
Elections Observation Group (Elog) National Coordinator Mulle Musau said the proposals deserve wider public debate before they are adopted.
“More importantly it can lead to disfranchisement of many Kenyans who many want to participate in an election. We appreciate the fact that it is a proposal and being a proposal it must be interrogated, it must be debated and we all agree,” Mulle told the Star.
He also warned that allowing candidates to spend such huge amounts could create pressure to recover campaign costs after elections.
“The figures incentivise corruption,” he said.
For parliamentary contests, the proposed spending limits range from about Sh11.15 million in smaller constituencies such as Tetu to nearly Sh94 million in larger constituencies such as North Horr.
The commission has proposed limits of Sh64.1 million for Wajir South, Sh54 million for Turkana North, Sh48.7 million for Turkana West, Sh45 million for Turkana East, Sh46.6 million for Isiolo North, Sh39.7 million for Bura, Sh38.3 million for Ijara and Sh38.2 million for Garsen.
Although the commission says the ceilings were calculated using objective measures, including population and land size, critics argue they still place elective politics beyond the reach of many qualified Kenyans.
To arrive at the figures, IEBC grouped electoral areas into urban, sparsely populated and other categories before applying a formula that gives a 60 per cent weight to population and a 40 per cent weight to land area as required under Section 18(4) of the Election Campaign Finance Act.
The commission says the formula recognises the extra cost of campaigning across large and remote electoral areas.
Election experts have maintained that regulating campaign financing is necessary to create fair competition, reduce vote-buying and limit the influence of illegal money in elections. They, however, argue that the proposed limits should not create an environment where only wealthy candidates are able to mount competitive campaigns.
The draft regulations also outline the key areas where candidates and political parties are expected to spend campaign funds.
Transport accounts for the largest share of political party campaign expenditure at Sh11.81 billion. Advertising and media campaigns are estimated at Sh1.84 billion, while election agents are expected to cost Sh1.52 billion. Other major expenses include branding, campaign materials and logistical support.
IEBC is mandated under the Election Campaign Financing Act, 2013, to regulate campaign financing, monitor campaign expenditure and promote transparency in the raising and use of campaign funds.
The law was introduced to protect elections from undue influence by wealthy individuals, businesses and criminal groups seeking political favours after elections.
Efforts to enforce the law before the 2022 General Election were unsuccessful after Parliament rejected the proposed Election Campaign Financing Regulations in 2021 on procedural grounds.