Voter Bribery: Matiang’i Says Banks Facing a Shortage of Sh200 and Sh100 Notes

Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i says banks are facing a shortage of Sh200 and Sh100 notes ahead of the August 9th general elections.

Matiang’i, who spoke on Wednesday during the launch of the inaugural Money Laundering and Terrorism Financing National Risk Assessment Report, said the shortage was due to hoarding by money-laundering suspects, who are seeking electives seats in the forthcoming elections.

He indicated that there is an unusually high number of economic criminals and their accomplices who are relying on bribery and suspect funds to buy their way into Parliament.

“You have seen people carrying money with bags in the villages, lining up Kenyans to give them Sh100 and Sh200 even banks have shortage of these notes and these people are laundering their way into elective positions to take decisions,” he stated.

He added: “If we are not careful as Kenyans, by the time we are done with this electoral cycle, we would have laundered criminals into our elective institutions– even up to about 40 percent and do you think they will tidy up the legislative environment?” 

While urging Kenyans to elect leaders of integrity into office, the cabinet secretary pointed out that a number of billionaire car dealers are suspected to be funding politicians or are used to launder money.

“Car dealers changed billions of shillings. How many cars do you need to sell to be able to have billions and all these dealers are friends of senior politicians? They are now the ones financing all these Sh200 and Sh500 notes in the villages and so on,” he said.

“I want to challenge you people who wouldn’t queue to vote, it’s either we elect a government which is cozy with money laundering or we elect a government that is against money laundering and which is committed to fighting this,” he added.

In May, Matiang’i warned that money launderers, alias ‘wash wash’, drug dealers and other criminals could flood the next parliament if a lax in financial regulations continues. 

He noted that there is a long list of suspected criminals eyeing elective seats in the August 9th elections, warning that they could manipulate the electoral process and bribe their way into parliament.

“We could end up laundering criminals of unprecedented standards into our elective offices. We might have over 40 percent of elected office holders becoming our leaders if we allow all the ‘wash wash’ gangs and other criminals to bribe their way in the coming elections,” said Matiang’i.

He cited weak regulations on the source of campaign funds as a major threat to the credibility of the upcoming elections.