Machakos governor Dr. Alfred Mutua (Photo/udaku.co.ke)
Machakos Governor Dr. Alfred Mutua’s Maendeleo Chap Chap party was the third highest spender after moneyed Jubilee and NASA during general polls last year.
According to a report by Reelforge Systems Ltd Mutua’s party used Sh1, 812, 300 to advertise during the concluded general elections.
The figure is only below Raila Odinga’s National Super Alliance (NASA) and President Uhuru Kenyatta’s Jubilee party. The report states that the ruling party doubled its advertisement expenditure compared to their opposition rivals. The figures were compiled between January 1 and Agust 2017. Jubilee coughed Sh312, 141, 620 while NASA used Sh155,153, 840.
The report indicates that most adverts were done through radio stations and television networks but few parties used print media like newspapers. Reelforge Systems Limited also revealed that Raila Odinga and Kalonzo Musyoka relied majority on one media house but their opponents U Uhuru Kenyatta and William Ruto used several TV stations.
During last year's leadership battle, political parties spend excessively in advertisement which included branding vehicles in party colors. There were also grassroots campaigns that consumed millions with the youths and women being the main target.