The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) has gazetted new regulations governing election campaign financing and set contribution and spending limits for candidates and political parties ahead of the August 10, 2027 General Election.
In a press release issued on Saturday, August 8, IEBC said the gazettement of the Election Campaign Financing Regulations, 2026 and the Contribution and Spending Limits marks a major step towards regulating how money is raised and spent during the next election.
“The gazettement marks a significant milestone in the discharge of the Commission’s constitutional mandate,” IEBC said, adding that the framework is aimed at regulating campaign financing and the amount of money that may be spent by or on behalf of candidates and political parties.
The electoral commission said the new framework follows a High Court decision in Constitutional Petition No. E540 of 2021, consolidated with E546 of 2021, involving Katiba Institute and other petitioners against the IEBC and others.
The case challenged, among other issues, Parliament’s revocation of provisions relating to campaign financing after contribution and spending limits were published on August 9, 2021.
According to the commission, the court directed IEBC to develop the required regulations, subject them to public participation and establish the framework for setting contribution and spending limits under the Election Campaign Financing Act, 2013.
IEBC said it subsequently carried out public participation through newspaper and electronic media notices, county-cluster forums and targeted engagements involving political parties, aspiring candidates, civil society groups, State actors, marginalised groups, development partners and other stakeholders.
The consultations were held under the theme: “Campaign Finance Regulation in Kenya: A Constitutional Framework for Transparency, Political Equality, Accountability and Electoral Integrity.”
“The views, proposals and recommendations received through the public participation and stakeholder engagement process were carefully considered and, where appropriate, incorporated into the final instruments,” the commission said.
With the instruments now published in the Kenya Gazette, IEBC said they constitute the applicable regulatory framework for campaign financing in the forthcoming General Election.
“The gazettement marks the transition from regulatory development and consultation to implementation and enforcement,” the commission said.
The regulations establish rules for the regulation and disclosure of campaign contributions and expenditure, record-keeping, reporting, auditing, monitoring, compliance and enforcement.
Meanwhile, the contribution and spending limits prescribe ceilings on the amount candidates and political parties can spend on campaigns.
IEBC has now put political parties, candidates, campaign teams and supporting persons or organisations on notice, requiring them to familiarise themselves with the new legal requirements and take measures to ensure compliance.
The commission said it will exercise its mandate through “monitoring, verification, audit, investigation and enforcement” in accordance with the Constitution, the Election Campaign Financing Act and the new regulations.
It said the regulation of campaign financing is intended to safeguard the integrity of electoral competition and promote a level playing field.
According to IEBC, the prescribed limits are designed to ensure that financial resources do not disproportionately determine political participation, access to voters or electoral competition.
“All political parties, candidates, campaign teams, donors and other regulated persons are required to comply with the regulations and limits, including requirements on contributions, expenditure, record-keeping, disclosure, reporting and accountability”the election body says.
IEBC Chairperson Erastus Edung Ethekon said the framework is now in place and warned that all regulated persons must take immediate steps to ensure full and timely compliance.
