Kenya's politics needs a clearer money trail

A political rally. [File Courtesy]

Every election in Kenya comes with a lot of money. We see it in rallies, vehicles, posters, handouts and now, increasingly, online. What we rarely see is the full trail behind it. Who put it there? Where did it come from? How much was spent? And what does it buy?

Money does more than pay for politics. It can determine who gets heard, who gets access and who gets a realistic chance to compete for power. Kenya is not without rules. The Election Campaign Financing Act regulates contributions and expenditure, while the Elections Act addresses practices such as the use of public resources and treating voters. The problem is whether those rules are strict enough, clear enough and enforceable enough to make political money visible and traceable.