Sh1 Million Per Plate Dinner Raises Millions for Raila's Presidential Campaign

Hundreds of millions of shillings were raised for the Azimio La Umoja-One Kenya coalition party presidential candidate Raila Odinga during an invite-only dinner where attendees paid up to Sh1 million for a meal. 

Sunday Nation reported that most of the attendees in the Friday night fundraiser held at Safari Park Hotel along Thika Road from 6.00 pm to 11.00 pm are members of the Mount Kenya Foundation, an elite club of wealthy businessmen drawn from the Central Kenya region.

Odinga, who is giving his fifth stab at the presidency, used the platform to explain how he will fight corruption should he win the August 9th general elections and form the next government.

“As far as I am concerned, nobody is going to be indispensable including my own brothers and children as far as the war against corruption is concerned,” Odinga, who was accompanied by his running mate Martha Karua, told the guests.

An invitation card for the dinner indicates that attendees paid Sh10 million for 10 guests under the ‘corporate’ category, Sh5 million for five guests under ‘premier’ category, Sh2 million for three guests under ‘platinum’ plan, Sh1 million for two attendees under the ‘gold’ category, and Sh500,000 for a single guest under the ‘silver’ plan.

Laikipia Governor Ndiritu Muriithi, who heads Odinga’s campaign secretariat said the fundraiser attracted about 500 guests booked under both the corporate and individual categories.

Odinga's campaign secretariat spokesperson Prof. Makau Mutua termed the fundraiser as a success. “I cannot say (the amount collected) but we exceeded our expectations,” he told Sunday Nation.

Mt. Kenya Foundation chairperson Peter Munga, media mogul S.K Macharia, former Commissioner General of Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) John Njiraini, Centum Investment CEO James Mworia, Nairobi Securities Exchange Chairman Kiprono Kittony and businessman Sam Wakiaga were some of the notable guests.

Others are Governors Muriithi (Laikipia), Charity Ngilu (Kitui), Anne Kananu (Nairobi), Cornel Rasanga (Siaya), James Ongwae (Kisii), Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Peter Munya, Azimio executive director Raphael Tuju and former Cabinet minister Fred Gumo.

Anti-graft crusader John Githongo, who is known for whistleblowing on major corruption scandals during the late President Mwai Kibaki’s administration, delivered the headline speech. 

A similar dinner in the run-up to the 2017 general elections raised an estimated Sh1 billion in less than two hours for President Kenyatta’s campaigns.

“We believe very strongly that financing of politics can fan corruption. We’re trying to send a certain message to Kenyans that we must participate in funding politics, not expecting politicians to give us handouts,” said Governor Muriithi. 

“The main issue is not the amount of money we raised but to demonstrate our conviction of future campaign financing and to stop elections from fanning corruption. Our opponents still think that the right way to do politics is to loot parastatals and get money for their campaigns.”