Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna has been dragged to court over millions of shillings raised from Kenyans through the Linda Mwananchi political movement, in a case that could force fresh scrutiny of the money collected for his presidential campaign.
A Kenyan voter, Alan Masakhalia, has moved to the High Court in Nairobi demanding that Sifuna account for funds raised through Paybill number 3033049, which he says was publicly used to solicit contributions towards Sifuna’s political project and possible 2027 presidential bid.
Masakhalia says he contributed Sh55 after following Sifuna’s political activities and the mobilisation around Linda Mwananchi.
He says he did not send the money as a personal gift to Sifuna but because he believed he was contributing to a political fundraising kitty associated with the senator’s presidential ambitions.
“My contribution was clearly towards Sifuna’s Presidential Campaign kitty,” Masakhalia says in his verifying affidavit.
Masakhalia claims Linda Mwananchi was sold to the public as a citizens-driven political movement seeking to offer an alternative direction for the country. At the same time, Sifuna’s possible presidential candidature became increasingly intertwined with the mobilisation.
He further claims the fundraising went beyond the Paybill, with collections taking place in rural markets using buckets bearing Sifuna’s poster. The figures involved are no longer pocket change.
Masakhalia cites publicly reported figures indicating that 9,419 Kenyans contributed Sh519,144 on the first day of the fundraising campaign.
Within roughly 36 hours, he says, the kitty had grown to about Sh2.21 million.
Now, he wants to know what happened to the money.
Masakhalia has also pointed to Sifuna’s public remarks that he would not stand in the way of opposition unity and could support another candidate if that became necessary.
The petitioner says the statement by Sifuna raises a fundamental accountability question.
If the political project changes course, he fears the money raised from Kenyans could be transferred, redirected or used for a different political purpose.
“I am concerned that if the political project is abandoned, transferred or materially altered, the funds contributed by citizens could potentially be transferred, diverted or applied to another political purpose,” he says.
He is asking the court to compel Sifuna to provide clarity on how the funds are being held, how much was collected and how the money has been used.
