The independent electoral and boundaries commission has declared that no politician will be allowed to attended or contribute to a Harambee from 9th December 2021.
Participating in a Harambee will be illegally after the said date and any politician who engages in this activity will be disqualified immediately. IEBC is tasked with the formulation of election policies that guide the elections, this policies are used to ensure that elections are free and fair.
The move to stop all politician from attending or even contributing in Harambees from the 9th of December is aimed at stopping the politicians from influencing voters with the amount of money they issue out.
During the campaign period Kenya goes into a fundraiser/ Harambee mode as many people seek to vie for political seats. Deep pocketed aspirants are known to contribute over one million in this fundraisers.
Fundraising
The fundraisers may differ from church building events, graduation ceremony, burial ceremony, wedding ceremonies and even medical bill fundraisers.
With all fundraising events made illegal after 9th December politicians will have to look for other ways to engage the voters. Most aspirants engage the voters during this Harambee, where the amount of money they contribute makes them the favoured candidate. Shallow pocketed politicians are left holding the back of the line during election period since they were unable to raise funds to contribute during fundraiser events.
During his interview with the senate illegal committee Wafula Chebukati indicated that they will partner with security agencies and the ODPP, to ensure that any politician who breaks the law is prosecuted.
Manifesto
It seems as if the IEBC is seeking to have politicians sell their manifesto to the public instead of just dishing out money months before the election date. This directive however doesn’t affect the ability of a politician to conduct a Harambee or fundraising event to help with his/her campaign.
Whether politicians will obey this directive or arrests will be conducted in regards to this is still unclear, but what remains clear is that the 2022 general election will be a very different election in the history of Kenya.
