Nelson Havi slams leaders for misusing public funds on voter handouts
By Ascah Mwango, August 2, 2025Prominent lawyer and former Law Society of Kenya (LSK) President Nelson Havi has criticised Kenyan politicians for wasting public money on voter handouts instead of focusing on their responsibilities as leaders.
In a statement posted on his X account on Saturday, August 2, 2025, Havi was reacting to a disturbing incident in Ndhiwa, where youth were seen dangerously crowding a helicopter as they waited for cash from politicians.
“Just stop giving voters handouts from stolen public funds, and instead, perform your duties as elected leaders. This is preposterous,” Havi said.
His statement comes weeks after former Kakamega Senator Cleophas Malala also condemned the widespread culture of tokenism in Kenyan politics. The Deputy Party Leader of the Democratic Congress Party (DCP) called for national reflection on how campaigns are run in the country.
Speaking during an interview with a local TV station on Monday, June 23, 2025, Malala warned that Kenya risks entering yet another cycle of false promises and short-term political theatrics ahead of the 2027 elections.
“As we head to 2027, we must address the culture of our campaigns. We have normalised lies, gimmicks, and promises that are neither funded nor feasible. It is a dangerous culture, and both leaders and citizens are to blame,” Malala said.
He noted that many politicians make unrealistic promises during campaigns, only to be hit by the harsh economic realities once they take office.
“You make promises during campaigns just to impress the electorate. But upon assuming office, you realise things are different. Resources are limited, institutions are constrained, and the realities of government are far more complex than what was promised on the campaign trail,” he added.
Malala also criticised the shift towards transactional politics, where elections are decided not by ideas or development plans, but by who can offer the biggest handouts.
“Our elections have become platforms for transactional politics. It’s not about ideas or ideologies anymore. It’s about who can lie better, or who can give the biggest token,” he said.
He warned that this trend not only undermines democracy but also leads to growing frustration and mistrust among voters.
To reverse this, Malala urged political parties to raise the standard by choosing candidates who present honest, practical solutions instead of sugar-coated lies.
“Political parties must also evolve. We should not be platforms for drama and deception. We must present candidates who speak truthfully, who acknowledge that governance is a long-term commitment, not a show,” he said.
He also challenged the media and civil society to help shift the narrative by holding politicians accountable for their promises and promoting more issue-based campaign discussions.