EACC warns religious leaders against legitimising illicit campaign funds

Dr. Oginde: There is no way we are going to build a society of integrity if we are beneficiaries of illicit resources

9:09:2026: Religious leaders have been urged against accepting or legitimizing illicit funds ahead of the 2027 General Election campaigns amid concerns that dirty money could distort voters’ choices and deepen corruption in government.

Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) Chairperson Dr. David Oginde said politicians who use proceeds of corruption, money laundering and unexplained wealth to finance their campaigns could later be pressured to repay their financiers through inflated tenders, manipulated procurement and other corrupt deals.

“There is no way we are going to build a society of integrity if we are beneficiaries of illicit resources,” Dr. Oginde said.

He was speaking last week at the National Stakeholders’ Convention (NSC) at Ufungamano House, Nairobi, where he addressed delegates on “Corruption and Politics in Kenya: How Illicit Money Drives Democracy and Viable Mitigations.”

Dr. Oginde said political competition should be about leadership, values and principles rather than the financial capacity of candidates.

He warned that although money is necessary to run election campaigns, the use of illicit wealth gives an unfair advantage to wealthy candidates and undermines the democratic process.

“When money is injected into the election and democratic space, the whole principle gets distorted because one is forced to choose from among the people who have money rather than the people who have what it takes to provide leadership,” he said.

According to Dr. Oginde, the consequences of illicit political financing can extend well beyond Election Day, with taxpayers ultimately bearing the cost when elected leaders seek to reward financiers through abuse of public resources.

The National Stakeholders’ Convention is being organized by the National Council of Churches of Kenya (NCCK), in collaboration with the Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops (KCCB) and the Supreme Council of Kenya Muslims (SUPKEM), under the auspices of the Kenya Religious Leaders Forum.

The convention is bringing together more than 150 delegates from religious organizations, civil society, the media, private sector, women’s groups and other stakeholders to assess the country’s preparedness for democratic, credible and peaceful elections.

The forum is also seeking to develop strategies to safeguard the 2027 electoral cycle and strengthen the role of different stakeholders in promoting electoral integrity.