Lawmakers have raised concerns over what they termed an extravagant budget presented by the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) for the 2027 General Election, which totals KSh63.9 billion.
Appearing before the Justice and Legal Affairs Committee of the National Assembly, IEBC officials outlined the proposed expenditure, sparking debate over several cost items. Among the most contentious was a request for KSh1.1 billion to cater for meals on election day, a figure MPs described as excessive and lacking transparency. The commission did not provide a detailed breakdown of the meals to justify the allocation.
Key Budget Highlights
- Ballot printing: KSh5.9 billion
- Transport: KSh3 billion
- Logistics for election materials: KSh4.9 billion
- Results transmission: KSh1 billion
- Systems upgrade: KSh3.9 billion
- Replacement of KIEMS kits: KSh6.2 billion (45,352 kits to be replaced out of 59,352 required)
- Tents and sound systems: KSh776 million
- Party primaries: KSh560 million
- Audit of voter register: KSh500 million
- Bulk SMS communication: KSh305 million
Lawmakers’ Concerns
MPs questioned the rationale behind several allocations, particularly the meals budget, transport costs, and logistics expenses. They argued that the figures suggest an unnecessarily expensive election process.
Committee members also pressed IEBC to justify the replacement of tens of thousands of KIEMS kits, as well as the high costs associated with results transmission and system upgrades.
IEBC’s Defense
The electoral body insisted that the requested funds are necessary to ensure a smooth and credible election. Officials emphasized that the scale of the exercise requires significant investment in technology, logistics, and personnel support.
IEBC urged Parliament to approve the budget, warning that underfunding could compromise the integrity of the 2027 polls.
