The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) says it has a funding deficit of Sh33 billion as it prepares for the 2027 General Election.
IEBC Deputy Chief Executive Officer Obadiah Keitany told the National Assembly Committee on Delegated Legislation that the agency needs Sh74.8 billion for the polls, but has only been allocated Sh41.3 billion in the financial year 2026/27.
This prompted Members of Parliament to ask why the budget estimates for the election had become “a moving target”, following a decision to increase the cost by Sh13.1 billion.
Mr Keitany said the IEBC had, in the 2025/26 financial year, requested Sh61.74 billion spread over three financial years—2025/26, 2026/27 and 2027/28.
The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission IEBC deputy CEO Obadiah Keitany.
Photo credit: Lucy Wanjiru | Nation Media Group
Appearing before the National Assembly's Committee on Justice and Legal Affairs to defend the IEBC budget for 2026/27, 2027/28 and 2028/29 financial years, Mr Keitany asked MPs to increase funding to ensure smooth elections.The IEBC said that it had revised its budget due to an expected increase of registered voters to 28.5 million, up from 22.1 million in 2022.
The committee chaired by Tharaka MP George Murugara was told that the electoral agency expects polling stations to increase from 46,000 in 2022 to 55,000 in 2027.
Commissioner Francis Aduol told the committee that the IEBC intends to replace all 45,000 Kenya Integrated Election Management Systems (Kiems) kits that were used in the 2022 General Election since they had become obsolete.
“We are waiting for an audit report from the ICT Authority experts for us to make a final decision,” Prof Aduol said.
“We have a another 14,000 kits that were supplied in 2022 by Smartmatic. But in the last election, we had problems of integrating them with the 45,000 kits that are now obsolete. They can be used, but we don’t want to risk kits failure in the 2027 polls.”
The IEBC commissioner said that the agency plans to float the tender for the supply of Kiems kits in two weeks’ time.
“The 14,000 kits can still be used, but there is risk of failure on election day. We want to retire the 45,000 kits and hopefully get one supplier who can deliver about 60,000 kits for the 2027 General Election,” Prof Aduol said.
He said the country will require 55,000 Kiems kits and a further 5,000 for contingency purposes during the elections.
IEBC Vice Chairperson Fahima Abdalla said the budget proposals changed due to the recent increase in registered voters.
“We have faced a number of challenges during the recent over-enhanced voter registration,” Ms Abdalla said.
“We have already registered an additional 2.6 million voters and this means that we will have to increase polling stations and centres. Money is required to hire personnel, and for other logistics,” she added.
Wajir East MP Adan Daudi said the commission had presented a wish-list to MPs “as the IEBC sought to get as much money as possible”.
“Why is your budget a moving target? You presented to us a figure of Sh61.74 billion, but now the budget is different,” he said.
Rarieda MP Otiende Amollo sought to know why the IEBC is insisting on Sh9.2 billion for the purchase of Kiems kits when MPs have not been given results of an audit to confirm if the existing ones are all obsolete.
Meanwhile, commissioner Anne Nderitu said Sh700 million will be required in the second round of Enhanced Voter Registration scheduled for December-January 2027.
The IEBC also said it needs Sh268.2 million for human capital development, Sh1.7 billion for staff welfare, Sh294 million for fleet maintenance and services, Sh143 million for purchase of vehicles and Sh2.6 billion for public engagements.
