The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) is seeking Sh3.5 billion to construct a new headquarters, which would see the commission relocate from its current base at Anniversary Towers in the Nairobi Central Business District.
According to the electoral agency, the ambitious relocation plan involves the construction of an Uchaguzi Centre expected to begin in July 2026, subject to availability of funds.
While appearing before the Senate’s Justice and Legal Affairs Committee, IEBC Chief Executive Officer Marjan Hussein Marjan said the commission expects to receive funding for the project starting from the next financial year, ending June 30, 2027.
Chief Executive Officer of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission Marjan Hussein Marjan.
Photo credit: File | Nation Media Group
The agency is looking at an initial allocation of Sh201 million in the fiscal year ending June 2027, with an additional Sh602 million in the following year to kick-start the project.
“The acquisition of the Commission’s own premises would cut recurrent costs such as office space rent, hiring venues for commission activities including meetings with stakeholders, nomination of candidates, training for staff and stakeholders and storage/warehousing for strategic and non-strategic materials. In the long run, this would save Kenyan taxpayers’ money,” Mr Marjan told the committee chaired by Bomet Senator Hillary Sigei.
On March 16, 2021, the commission floated an open tender for the purchase of land on which to construct its new premises.
In the invitation for bids, the IEBC specified that the parcel should be located at least 20 kilometres from the city centre and must be easily accessible by road networks.
“The size of the land should be approximately five acres and should be on stable ground. The gradient should not be steep,” stated the tender document.
The IEBC currently spends at least Sh100 million annually on rent at Anniversary Towers a city centre building owned by Kenya Re which has served as the commission’s headquarters for over two decades.
The commission has also faced challenges in storing and warehousing both strategic and non-strategic materials.
Efforts to relocate from Anniversary Towers began as early as 2013, during the tenure of then-chairperson Issack Hassan. At the time, the commission sought Sh800 million to purchase an exclusive office block to end its tenancy, citing Sh48 million in annual rent payments.
Rent and venue-hiring costs
In 2018, then-chairperson Wafula Chebukati revived the push, noting that acquiring IEBC’s own premises would not only reduce rent and venue-hiring costs but also solve logistical issues tied to demonstrations.
Further, he said the relocation out of the central business district “will see minimal disruptions to other activities in the city centre in the event of any picketing and demonstrations” against the Commission
This sentiment echoed a 2017 proposal by former Starehe MP Charles Njagua, who called for the Commission to move to Bomas of Kenya arguing that frequent anti-IEBC protests in the CBD were negatively impacting businesses.
At the time, Mr Chebukati said the xommission was considering both purchasing and constructing a facility to serve as its permanent operational base.
He argued that such a move would result in significant savings for taxpayers while shielding other businesses from disruption during demonstrations.
Mr Chebukati lamented the costly interruptions caused by grievances often aired through picketing and protests which paralyse business in the CBD and contribute to economic loss.
“The IEBC is, of course, an independent organisation with many stakeholders and often some are dissatisfied and resort to protests. We feel that being based in the CBD has done a disservice to other businesses and so we need to move elsewhere,” he said.
Ahead of the August 2017 elections, supporters of the National Super Alliance (Nasa) staged anti-IEBC protests accusing the commission of plotting to rig the election in favour of the ruling Jubilee Party. These protests severely disrupted businesses in the CBD.
Before that, the Coalition for Reforms and Democracy (Cord had held similar weekly protests also demanding the disbandment of the Commission.
