IEBC to downscale security features on ballot papers to cut costs   » Capital News

MOMBASA, Kenya, Aug 9 – The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) is planning to downscale security features on ballot papers from the nine to seven.

The electoral agency’s Acting chief executive, Hussein Marjan, said the move would save on costs incurred while printing ballot papers.

“The cost of ballot papers is projected to increase with the number of registered voters expected to be at 25 million. But we expect the cost to increase at a reducing rate because the commission has reduced security features to seven,” he said during a media sector working group in Mombasa on Monday.

The IEBC indicated it had a deficit of Sh14 billion having projected to spend Sh40.9 billion to manage the 2022 General Election.

IEBC Chairperson Wafula Chebukati on Monday said the funds will enable the agency conduct an election within coronavirus containment protocols while also ensuring polling stations do not exceed 700 voters, a threshold set out under the law.

“Treasury has only allocated Sh26.3bn,” Chebukati who attended the media sector working group session said.

In case the funding does not materialize, the commission said it will have to cut down on several activities and take interventions including reducing number of ballot papers, the number of employees and scale down mass voter registration.

The IEBC said it projected the number of voters to increase to 25 million therefore adding about 6 million new electors in the voters register.

However, budget constraints could force the commission to reduce the mass voter registration period and cut down on excess ballot papers printed and allocated per polling station.