IEBC proposes mandatory campaign bank accounts under Kenya poll finance rules

• IEBC proposes mandatory campaign bank accounts for all candidates and political parties under new draft election financing regulations.
• The proposed regulations aim to create a level playing field by introducing stricter disclosure, reporting, and auditing requirements for campaign finances.
• The IEBC is racing against time to put the framework in place before the 2027 polls, with only about a year left until election day.

Our objective is to set contribution and spending limits in order to create a level playing field for everybody who is contesting, Ethekon told stakeholders in Nairobi.

The IEBC's proposed regulations aim to create a level playing field for all candidates and political parties by introducing stricter disclosure, reporting, and auditing requirements for campaign finances. This includes mandatory campaign bank accounts, which would require all income and expenditure related to the 2027 General Election to be channeled through designated bank accounts. The commission is racing against time to put this framework in place before the 2027 polls, with only about a year left until election day. According to IEBC Chairperson Edung Ethekon, the reforms are intended to prevent excessive spending from influencing electoral outcomes and ensure that campaign financing remains transparent and accountable.

The proposed Election Campaign Financing Regulations, 2026, are designed to operationalize the Election Campaign Financing Act, 2013. However, previous regulations were annulled by Parliament ahead of the 2017 and 2022 General Elections, leading to a delay in implementing the law. The IEBC is now seeking to refine the draft regulations based on submissions received during nationwide public participation forums. Commissioner Mary Karen Sorobit noted that stakeholders had submitted evidence-based proposals that would help develop a practical, transparent, and enforceable campaign finance framework.

The introduction of new filing requirements and disclosure obligations under the proposed regulations may impact political parties and candidates in the 2027 General Election. Lawyers and compliance officers should watch for changes to campaign financing laws, which could affect how parties and candidates manage their finances. The IEBC's efforts to strengthen transparency and accountability in campaign financing are aimed at promoting fairness and preventing undue influence from money in electoral outcomes.

Lawyers and compliance officers should watch for the introduction of new filing requirements and disclosure obligations under the proposed Election Campaign Financing Regulations, 2026, which may impact political parties and candidates in the 2027 General Election.

Source: Original reporting via IEBC