Matiang’i Speaks on Seeking Funds from Japan for 2027 Race

NAIROBILEO.CO.KE • 5h ago

Jubilee Party Leader Fred Matiang’i has defended his efforts to seek financial support for his anticipated 2027 presidential campaign.

In an interview on Sunday, November 1, Matiang’i said politicians routinely sought financial backing from different sources, including business people outside their countries.

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“That’s fundraising. Everybody raises funds. In fact, I’m transparent in this case compared to many people. People raise funds in very many ways. It’s just that presidential candidates here will not tell you. People travel out of the country, meet business people out of the country and so on,” he said.

When asked whether the resources he intended to pursue in Japan would come from the government of the Kingdom of Japan, Matiang’i clarified that his engagement was not specifically targeting government funding but was aimed at exploring available opportunities.

“No. To seek advice and find out if you would get resources from such places,” he added.

Matiang’i also rejected suggestions that seeking financial support from foreign sources would undermine Kenya’s sovereignty.

He challenged those questioning his fundraising efforts to identify any specific electoral law that had been violated, maintaining that there was no problem with the initiative.

“There is no problem. That is on election financing laws. There is no problem at all. And by the way, show me which election law has been violated in this case,” he further said.

Matiang’i further questioned the need to focus on the source of the fundraising initiative without first establishing the nature of the organisation involved, the funds it was raising and where the money was being held.

He also argued that Kenya’s financial monitoring systems would make it difficult to transfer money into the country without the relevant authorities detecting the transactions.

“For a country like ours now you can’t move funds from anywhere in the world without our systems noticing it,” he noted.

This comes months after Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna dismissed claims that retired President Uhuru Kenyatta is funding the Linda Mwananchi movement.

Speaking on Tuesday, July 28, he said Uhuru is not funding the Linda Mwananchi movement rallies.

However, Sifuna said he speaks with the former president, noting that Uhuru is the leader of the Azimio coalition and was a close political ally of the late Raila Odinga.

“No, Uhuru Kenyatta is not funding Linda Mwananchi. I speak to him because he is the party leader of Azimio and was a friend to the late former Prime Minister Raila Odinga, so when you run into him, you talk to him,” he stated.

Sifuna also said that Uhuru does not give them political strategies ahead of the 2027 General Election.

At the same time, he revealed that Kenyans have contributed Ksh6.5 million to the Linda Mwananchi paybill number.

Sifuna thanked Kenyans who have contributed to the Linda Mwananchi movement, saying their support is helping change the country’s political conversation.

He compared the initiative to mature democracies, where members of the public financially support leaders seeking elective office.

“As of today, we had I think, Ksh6.5 million on that paybill number, and I continue to be eternally grateful. Kenyans are changing the conversation. In mature democracies, it is the public that finances leaders to be able to run for office,” Sifuna stated.

Kevin Koech is a seasoned digital journalist with over five years in the industry, covering breaking news, current affairs, and business stories.

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