Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna has rejected an offer by COTU Secretary General Francis Atwoli to raise KSh1 billion for his 2027 presidential campaign, saying he would rather rely on contributions from ordinary Kenyans than wealthy political figures.
Speaking during a radio interview on Tuesday, Sifuna said his presidential bid would continue to be funded through small donations from supporters, arguing that leadership should be driven by the people and not by a handful of influential financiers.
“I do not want your money, mzee. Let Kenyans continue giving me money,” Sifuna said.
“I would rather be indebted to 10 million Kenyans, each giving me KSh10, than to one person who gives me KSh1 billion.”
The ODM Secretary General questioned the source of the billions that Atwoli claimed he could mobilise, saying Kenyan politics should move away from what he described as the influence of “dirty money.”
“We need to free our politics from this dirty money. Workers are struggling, yet you are talking about raising KSh1 billion,” he said.
Sifuna was responding to remarks made by Atwoli, who recently said he could mobilise KSh1 billion within minutes to support the senator’s State House bid.
The veteran trade unionist argued that winning the presidency requires adequate financial backing, political networks and the support of influential leaders.
However, Sifuna maintained that money alone does not determine election outcomes.
He cited the recent Ol Kalou parliamentary by-election, saying the results proved that voters cannot always be swayed by financial muscle.
“Watu wa Ol Kalou wameonyesha ya kwamba hiyo pesa yenu haiwezi wasaidia. Pesa is not the answer,” he said.
The Nairobi senator also dismissed Atwoli’s long-held claim that he holds the “password” to Kenya’s presidency.
He questioned why, if that were true, Atwoli had not helped leaders such as Raila Odinga, Musalia Mudavadi and National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang’ula ascend to the country’s highest office.
The exchange highlights the growing debate over campaign financing ahead of the 2027 General Election, with political leaders increasingly differing on whether presidential campaigns should be funded by wealthy backers or ordinary citizens.