During a revealing interview on Citizen TV’s JKL, Suba South MP Caroli Omondi detailed the enormous sums he has spent supporting political campaigns over the years, while urging for legal reforms to curb excessive political financing in Kenya.
Omondi, a long-time political player, claimed that in 2013 he personally spent between Ksh 600 million and Ksh 700 million on party campaigns.
“I bought 25 vehicles, I gave T-shirts worth 2 million USD—approximately Ksh 258 million today—I gave candidates more than Ksh 100 million, and I paid their agents Ksh 90 million. All those are documented,” he alleged during the interview.
His disclosure paints a picture of the staggering financial demands in Kenyan politics, particularly for high-profile parties like ODM.
Reflecting on subsequent election cycles, Omondi stated that he withheld funds in 2017, despite having $2 million ready to support ODM, after being denied a party nomination certificate.
Similarly, in 2022, he chose not to contribute any personal funds, signaling a shift in his engagement with party financing.
“In 2022, I didn’t give them any money. In 2017, I refused to give them money after they denied me the certificate, but I had $2 million for them," he added
Beyond sharing his personal history, Omondi used the platform to address a structural issue in Kenyan politics: the exclusion of young and innovative leaders due to high campaign costs.
“We have to have a campaign financing law and reduce the amount of money that circulates in our politics because it is locking out all the young good people with great ideas,” he stated.
Omondi’s revelations highlight the scale of private money in shaping electoral outcomes, raising concerns about fairness and inclusivity in Kenyan elections.
Excessive campaign spending often favors wealthy individuals and entrenched politicians, leaving young aspirants with limited resources sidelined despite their ideas or leadership potential.
Omondi’s call for legal intervention comes at a time when debates over campaign finance regulation are intensifying.
Proposed measures include caps on contributions, transparency in political donations, and stricter oversight of party expenditures.
Such reforms could level the playing field, allowing merit and ideas to weigh more than personal wealth in political contests.
By speaking openly about his own expenditures and advocating for reform, Omondi has positioned himself as a critic of the status quo, urging lawmakers to consider mechanisms that make Kenyan politics more accessible and accountable.
His statements reveal the urgent need for a campaign finance framework that balances resources, opportunity, and democratic participation.