Kenya: MPs Budget Team Approves Sh21.7 Billion for Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission

Nairobi — The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) will receive an allocation of Sh21.7 billion to conduct the August 9 General Election should the National Treasury abide by the recommendations by Parliament’s Budget and Appropriation Committee.

In a report submitted in the House on Wednesday, the Kanini Kega-led team declined to give the polls agency the Sh27.5 billion it had demanded in the next financial year for the August elections and related activities.

The MPs estimate the IEBC will require Sh16 billion to cover the pre-poll activities and the actual election day activities.

The Wafula Chebukati-led agency had already received Sh14.5 billion this financial year.

Chebukati had earlier said the commission required close to Sh40 billion to conduct the election but so far it has not been able to get what it wanted.

For the anticipated court petitions after the next polls, IEBC has received Sh2.2 billion.

The Budget and Appropriation Committee has proposed IEBC gets an additional Sh3 billion to acquire ICT equipment for the polls.

The Commission has also received Sh655 million for voter education and partnerships.

IEBC has further been allocated Sh166 million for research and development and some Sh85.4 million for human resources and administration.

The commission intends to spend Sh4.7 billion to settle pending bills.

Key votes to be settled under the unpaid debts include elections material (Sh1.77 billion), Covid compliance (Sh588 million), voter education (Sh197 million), and ICT(Sh2.2 million).

As part of its oversight mandate, MPs in the Committee directed the polls commission to submit primary documents in support of the pending bills, especially on ICT and legal bills for consideration and scrutiny to ascertain whether the Auditor General should undertake a special audit.