Confusion as IEBC says it lacks funds to conduct 8 by-elections, to spend Ksh.1B for remaining 24

Eight pending by-elections slated for November 27th this year are in limbo, after the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) revealed that it does not have a budget to hold 8 of the 24 by-elections.

Speaking when he appeared for the first time after taking over the mantle before the National Assembly Public Accounts Committee, IEBC Chairperson Erastus Ethekon also told the committee that the commission will spend Ksh.1 billion to prepare for the by-elections. 

Ethekon disclosed serious funding gaps in the preparations for the November 27th by-elections, which could put eight contests at risk.

“We had a budget for 16 of them. We are engaging in a back and forth with Treasury to provide us with the Ksh.258 million for the 8 by-elections," he said.

The commission also revealed that the by-elections will cost the taxpayer a whopping Ksh.1 billion to conduct.

“We have 24 by-elections. 16 are funded. The budget given so far is Ksh.788 million. We are short by Ksh.258 million. Total required budget is Ksh.1.046 billion to conduct the by-election," stated IEBC CEO Marjan Hussein Marjan.

Tindi Mwale, Chairperson, National Assembly Public Accounts Committee, on his part said: “We also want to know as Members of Parliament where you need help or a boost so that we have a free and fair election.”

Ethekon added: “We believe we will give Kenyans a very good by-election as a test run for the 2027 General Election.”

IEBC is also targeting to onboard some 4.4 million Gen Z and youthful voters in 2027, in a tally that will push the voter register to about 29 million from the 22.5 million recorded in the 2022 General Election.

“We are targeting 6.3 million new voters, 70% whom will be young people," said Ethekon.

Ethekon, however, fell short of postponing the boundaries delimitation exercise, citing technical challenges in the preparations.

“I know time has lapsed, but it will be important to know whether it will happen before the election or never," Samburu West MP Naisula Lesuuda noted.

“We can resolve the legality, but the practicality—for example, we will also require a budget to undertake this, and you know it is not a cheap exercise," Ethekon said in response.

The commission’s headquarters at Anniversary Towers was also a beehive of activities on Wednesday, as independent candidates rushed to submit names and symbols ahead of the by-election.