NASSIR: Political Parties Fund: A test of Kenya’s democratic maturity

Kenya’s democratic journey has been defined by deliberate reform and institutionalevolution. From the reintroduction of multi-party democracy in the early 1990s to thepromulgation of the 2010 Constitution, the country has consistently moved toward a moreopen, competitive and accountable political system.

Central to this progress is therecognition that democracy does not sustain itself; it must be supported by stronginstitutions, among them, political parties and the frameworks that enable their effectivefunctioning.

The transition to multiparty politics was a watershed moment. It expanded political space,allowed for ideological diversity and entrenched the principle that leadership must becontested.

Yet, in its early years, the system revealed structural weaknesses. Chief amongthem was the uneven capacity of political parties to organise and compete.

Without a fair andpredictable system of financing, many parties, particularly those outside government, wereconstrained in their ability to mobilise, communicateand present coherent alternatives tothe electorate.

It is in response to this historical imbalance that public funding for political parties wasinstitutionalised. The Political Parties Fund was designed not as a discretionary benefit, butas a constitutional instrument to safeguard pluralism.

By providing resources based onelectoral performance, it sought to level the playing field, reduce dependence on opaquefunding sources and ensure that political competition is anchored in ideas rather thanfinancial asymmetry.

This vision was championed by reform leaders who understood that democracy must be bothaccessible and sustainable. Our founding leader, Raila Odinga, consistentlyemphasised that the right to form political parties must be matched by the means to sustainthem.

The objective was clear: to entrench a system where parties are stable institutionscapable of engaging citizens, shaping policy and holding government to account.

Importantly, this reform ethos is shared across Kenya’s political leadership. PresidentWilliam Ruto, as a founding member of ODM and a participant in the broader reformmovement, is well versed in the rationale underpinning equitable political party funding.

Hisown political journey has been shaped within a system that increasingly recognised the needfor fairness in competition and institutional support for parties.

In this regard, the current moment should be approached with clarity. The commitment topolitical party funding is already established in law and policy.

The role of leadership at thehighest level has been to affirm and uphold these principles, ensuring that the democraticframework remains intact. The focus, therefore, must shift to the operational level wherebyimplementation is executed and where timelines, allocations and disbursements aredetermined.

This is where the National Treasury assumes critical responsibility. As the custodian ofpublic finances, the Treasury is charged with translating policy commitments into actualresource flows.

It is within its mandate to ensure that the Political Parties Fund is disbursedin a timely, transparent and predictable manner, consistent with both the law and thebroader objectives of democratic governance.

Supporting the President’s commitment to strengthening institutions requires that theTreasury fully aligns its execution with this mandate. The Finance Cabinet Secretary, withprior experience as national chairman of ODM, is uniquely positioned to appreciate thestrategic importance of this issue, not only from a fiscal perspective, but from a governancestandpoint.

This dual perspective should inform a proactive approach that prioritises theintegrity of party funding as a cornerstone of democratic stability.

The benefits of effective implementation are clear. Properly funded political parties arebetter equipped to develop policy platforms, maintain organisational structures and engagemeaningfully with citizens.

They contribute to a more informed electorate and a moresubstantive political discourse. In turn, this enhances the overall quality of governance byensuring that competition is grounded in ideas, performance and accountability.Conversely, delays or inconsistencies in disbursement undermine these gains.

They weakenparty capacity, constrain outreach and risk shifting political financing toward lesstransparent channels. Such outcomes do not serve the interests of democracy, nor do theyreflect the intent of the legal framework that Kenya has painstakingly developed over theyears.

Kenya has reached a stage in its democratic evolution where the emphasis must be on fidelityto implementation. The laws are in place, the principles are well established and theleadership commitment is evident. What remains is the consistent execution of thesecommitments by the institutions mandated to do so.

In this context, the National Treasury is called upon to play its full part in supporting thePresident Ruto’s broader democratic agenda. By ensuring the timely and completedisbursement of political party funds, it will be reinforcing the institutional foundations uponwhich Kenya’s democracy rests. This is not merely a technical obligation but a strategiccontribution to national stability, inclusivity, and progress.

Ultimately, the strength of Kenya’s democracy will be measured not only by its laws, but byhow faithfully they are implemented. By aligning policy intent with administrative action,and by ensuring that institutions function as designed, the country can continue to build apolitical system that is fair, resilient, and reflective of the aspirations of its people.

The writer is the Mombasa governor and ODM deputy leader