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Curb blatant voter bribery
With the next elections just over a year away, it is encouraging that the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) is keen to ensure that they are free and fair. Elections are at the core of the democratic system the country desires. They enable the people to choose their leaders right from the grassroots to the highest office in the land, the national presidency.
It is, therefore, important that the playing field for all the candidates and their parties is made even. However, the IEBC’s attempt may be coming a bit late. Billions are already being splurged to woo voters. The government itself cannot escape scrutiny as its “empowerment” drives are thinly veiled attempts to influence elections.
The commission seeks to cap expenditure on presidential campaigns at Sh4.44 billion and political parties' spending limits at Sh17.7 billion. The limits for governor, senator, and woman representative will vary from Sh12.3 million to Sh123 million.
Those vying for constituency seats will be allowed to spend between Sh17.5 million and Sh123 million, and ward positions between Sh2.5 million and Sh20 million.
This is the second attempt to regulate election campaign expenditure after the first bid in 2016 flopped. The proposed amounts are not pocket change. The candidates who can mobilise such funds are, in most cases, driven not by the desire to serve the people but to personally benefit from those leadership positions. Also, it is easy to set limits, but a different ball game to enforce them.
Election results should give a true verdict of voters and enable the people to have leaders who can advance their interests. The most fundamental principle defining credible elections is that they must reflect the free expression of the will of the people. The IEBC should look into the apparent open voter bribery and huge political spending disguised as empowerment programmes.
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