EACC warns religious leaders against accepting illicit money from politicians

Religious leaders across the country have been warned against accepting or legitimising illicit money from politicians ahead of the 2027 General Election.

Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) Chairperson David Oginde cautioned that politicians who finance their campaigns using proceeds of corruption, money laundering and unexplained wealth could later be compelled to reward those who helped finance them.

He warned that such politicians could resort to inflated tenders, manipulated procurement processes and other corrupt dealings to reward their financiers once they gain political power.

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

The EACC chairperson was speaking during the National Stakeholders’ Convention held at Ufungamano House in Nairobi, where he addressed delegates on the topic, ‘Corruption and Politics in Kenya.’

The convention was attended by members of the National Council of Churches of Kenya (NCCK), the Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops (KCCB) and the Supreme Council of Kenya Muslims (SUPKEM).

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Oginde urged religious leaders to reject money whose source could not be explained, warning that accepting such funds could contribute to the normalisation of corruption in the country.

He further expressed concern that election campaigns were increasingly being influenced by candidates’ financial strength rather than their leadership qualities, values and principles.

According to Oginde, the use of illicit wealth in politics gives wealthy candidates an unfair advantage over their competitors and could deny voters the opportunity to elect leaders based on merit.

The warning came amid growing concerns over the influence of illicit money in Kenya’s political landscape, with fears that wealthy individuals could use unexplained wealth and proceeds of corruption to gain political influence ahead of the 2027 General Election. 

It also comes against the backdrop of rising political temperatures across the country in recent weeks, with some politicians splashing large sums of money to woo voters.

At the same time, other politicians have increasingly turned church services into platforms for political campaigns ahead of the 2027 polls.

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