NAIROBI, Kenya, Sep 4 — Religious leaders have been urged to reject illicit funds ahead of the 2027 General Election, with the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) warning that dirty campaign financing could distort voters’ choices and create a pipeline for corruption once politicians take office.
EACC Chairperson David Oginde said politicians who rely on proceeds of corruption, money laundering or unexplained wealth to finance their campaigns could later be forced to repay their financiers through inflated tenders, manipulated procurement and other corrupt deals.
Oginde said religious institutions and leaders must be particularly vigilant against accepting or legitimising questionable funds as the country heads into the election season.
“There is no way we are going to build a society of integrity if we are beneficiaries of illicit resources,” Oginde said.
The remarks were made at a National Stakeholders’ Convention at Ufungamano House in Nairobi, where Oginde addressed more than 150 delegates on “Corruption and Politics in Kenya: How Illicit Money Drives Democracy and Viable Mitigations.”
He said the growing influence of money in politics risks shifting elections away from the quality of leadership and towards the financial strength of candidates, giving wealthy politicians an unfair advantage over their competitors.
“Election campaigns should be driven by leadership, values and principles rather than candidates’ financial muscle,” Oginde said.
The EACC chairperson warned that when candidates use unexplained or illegally acquired wealth to gain political support, the cost of that financing could ultimately be transferred to taxpayers through corrupt government contracts.
He said voters risk losing the ability to make meaningful choices when candidates with access to large pools of illicit wealth use money to influence campaigns and electoral outcomes.
The convention, organised by the National Council of Churches of Kenya (NCCK), Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops (KCCB) and Supreme Council of Kenya Muslims (SUPKEM), is seeking to develop measures to safeguard the 2027 electoral process and strengthen the role of non-state actors in promoting credible, peaceful and democratic elections.
The forum comes as political activity begins to intensify ahead of the 2027 polls, raising renewed concerns over the role of money in determining who gets elected and how political campaigns are financed.
Religious institutions wield significant influence in communities and are often central to public discussions on governance, ethics and leadership, placing them in a strategic position to discourage the use of illicit wealth in politics.
