Government Moves to Block NASA from Getting Foreign Campaign Funding

Opposition outfit’s National Super Alliance (NASA) chances of mounting a serious challenge against President Uhuru Kenyatta in the August 8 elections could face a major blow if the latest move by the government is implemented.

NASA under the leadership of former Prime Minister Raila Odinga is likely to face serious hurdles in funding its campaigns as the government has moved in to stop any foreign funding to any political factions.

The Sunday Nation revealed that government has held a high level meeting to craft ways in which it will halt any attempt by NASA to source money for their campaigns from outside the countries.

The Nation reported that a meeting attended by among others the Treasury heads, the National Intelligence Service (NIS), the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) and the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) arrived at that decision.

The move comes at a time when the ruling coalition has read malice from Odinga’s foreign trips in recent times to among other things meet possible financiers for the NASA campaigns.

Tanzanian President John Pombe Maghufuli, American donors, former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo and Enugu State Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuany are some of the individuals suspected to have pledged to finance the opposition in their bid to  oust President Uhuru Kenyatta from power in the upcoming elections in August.

However, Siaya Senator James Orengo says that they fully understand what the law requires about foreign funding, adding that they will source foreign funding while abiding with the law.

“We will accept help from our friends abroad as long as it is done within the law. Whether such help comes or not, we are sure to mount one of the best-financed and organized campaigns in this part of the world,” Orengo told Nation.