The Independent Electoral Boundaries Commission (IEBC) went before its budget sector working group with a wish list for Sh62 billion to conduct the next general election, justifying it on the need to buy new Kiems kits – for about Sh7 billion.
Out of this, the electoral agency said Sh55 billion would be the baseline budget, Sh6.7 billion to fund its overall deficit and Sh3.8 billion for pending bills.
The commission, in a similar plea to MPs, asked for the budget to be funded over three financial years starting 2025-26 (Sh15.3 billion), 2026-27 (Sh25.4 billion), and 2027-28 (Sh21 billion).
Besides the kits, IEBC seeks to register 5.7 million new voters and has recently embarked on continuous voter registration.
The commission says it further intends to gazette 9,164 more polling stations, as well as replace 45,352 Kiems kits that were bought in 2017.
Treasury, in what portends a funding crisis for the next election, has only provided Sh45.3 billion, of which Sh9.3 billion is to be provided this financial year.
At least Sh24.9 billion is allocated in the 2026-27 budget, and Sh20.4 billion is set to be provided during the election year.
The budget includes Sh26 billion to manage the elections, Sh1.9 billion for voter education, Sh12.7 billion for election ICT, and about Sh100 million for boundaries delimitation – preparations.
It indicates that IEBC would be grappling with a Sh16.5 billion funding gap as it prepares for the general election, which is 19 months away.
The Justice Committee of the National Assembly had proposed that the IEBC be allocated Sh57.3 billion for the 2027 elections.
IEBC, during public participation on the draft 2026 Budget Policy Statement, raised concerns the resources are limited.
“It was noted that some agencies have been allocated limited resources, yet they provide key services in the country, such as EACC, IEBC and NPS,” the document reads.
IEBC wanted Sh38 billion for election management, Sh6.5 billion for voter education, Sh12 billion for ICT, and Sh369 million for boundary delimitation.
The commission underscored the place of adequate resource allocation for it to deliver its mandate.
It argued that civic education on voter registration is “a crucial but costly endeavour that demands significant resources".
The commission said it was working to enlist development partners and stakeholders to fill the resource gap.
IEBC said the additional resources were necessary, “given that the commission's establishment was delayed and may therefore be experiencing backlogs.”
“Further, the general election is near, and therefore, there is a need for adequate preparations, which require resources,” the commission said.
Expressing jitters, IEBC chairman Erastus Ethekon recently said the budget shortfalls could hinder the commission’s ability to effectively oversee the elections.
He said the cuts could mean fewer personnel at polling stations and the national tallying centre, a situation he said could disrupt the process.
IEBC deployed more than 423,000 officials in the last election, which had the participation of 16,098 candidates. The numbers could be higher in 2027.
“The cuts will affect the level of deployment,” he said in a recent KBC interview, saying KIEMs stand compromised too.
“We need to buy new kits with more advanced technology,” he explained, asserting that those for the 2017 and 2013 elections are no longer usable. Only 14,000 Kiems kits for 2022 will be retained.
Treasury clarified the allocations in the report were indicative ceilings and could be adjusted over time during the budget approval process.
The proposed budget is an increase of Sh500 million from the Sh44.8 billion that was allocated for the 2022 general elections.
A report on the spending for that period showed that even with the amount, the commission spent Sh34 billion, but indicated the amount could change.
It cited pending expenditures on forex losses, transport services, reprint of ballot papers due to court rulings, payments to mobile network operators for results transmission and legal fees.
Other election-related budgets were to the Interior ministry (Sh524 million), Office of Registrar of Political Parties (Sh475 million), and Sh516 million to the Judiciary.
At least Sh330 million was allocated to the office of the President – for the assumption of office activities (swearing-in), Sh108 million to the EACC, and Sh100 million to the Defence ministry.
The Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) got Sh13.5 million for election-related operations.
Treasury data obtained by the Star has lifted the lid on the nature of expenses by the commission during the conduct of elections.
For instance in 2022, IEBC spent Sh2.3 billion on mass voter registration (listed 2.5 million new voters), and Sh1.2 billion to verify the register of voters.
The commission spent Sh3 billion on transport, an amount that is likely to be higher in the 2027 vote, considering inflation.
Nomination and candidate registration took Sh349 million, while tallying centre activities gobbled Sh177 million, and Sh308 million for hiring Bomas of Kenya halls and the attendant activities.
The electoral agency spent Sh5.4 billion on wages, Sh236 million on diaspora voter registration, and Sh102 million for election planning meetings.
Training of poll officials consumed Sh2.4 billion, Sh156 million went into training materials, and Sh1.4 billion went into voter education.
Treasury reported that general elections materials cost Sh4.7 billion, besides Sh5.3 billion that was spent on ICT, and Sh1.7 billion for ‘other election-related expenditures’.
A House team recently reported that IEBC runs one of the most expensive general elections in the world.
The Justice and Legal Affairs Committee cited high bills for election result transmission, court rulings that resulted in reprints of ballot papers, foreign exchange losses and emergency airlifting of strategic election materials and staff.
MPs want the cost reduced and have advised the IEBC to reduce its expenditures, especially on legal fees, which account for the largest share of the commission’s pending bills.
The committee, in a recent report, said the IEBC should standardise the fees charged by law firms.
At best, they said the commission should engage in-house lawyers to undertake some of the petitions “to cut down on cost”.
Kenya uses advanced technology in the elections as a question of trust, following the chaos which followed the disputed 2007 election.
INSTANT ANALYSIS
The funding crisis pits electoral preparedness against fiscal austerity, forcing a high-stakes political decision. The gap cannot be closed by efficiency measures alone; it necessitates either a Treasury reversal, Parliamentary intervention, or external donor support. Failure to bridge it risks logistical failures, eroded public trust, and a compromised electoral process.
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