The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) is under scrutiny from Members of Parliament over a proposed Sh13 billion increase in its budget ahead of the 2027 General Election.
Appearing before the National Assembly Justice and Legal Affairs Committee (JLAC), IEBC commissioners defended the proposed budget increase from Sh61.7 billion to Sh74.8 billion, saying the funds are necessary to expand polling stations, enhance voter registration, support diaspora voting, and procure new election technology.
Commissioner Anne Nderitu told lawmakers that the number of polling stations is expected to rise from 46,000 in the 2022 General Election to about 55,000 in 2027, in line with a growing voter register projected to reach 28.5 million.
“We anticipate that the number of polling stations will increase from 46,000 to 55,000 in the next General Election,” Nderitu said.
The commission further indicated that additional funding will support a major voter registration exercise scheduled for December 2026 and January 2027.
IEBC said more than 2.6 million new voters were registered during the latest continuous and enhanced voter registration drives concluded last month, signalling rising electoral participation.
Lawmakers, however, raised concerns over plans to procure new Kenya Integrated Election Management System (KIEMS) kits despite an ongoing audit of existing equipment.
IEBC Commissioner Francis Aduol defended the proposal, noting that the current 41,000 KIEMS kits are over a decade old and may not be reliable during the elections.
“We cannot take risks with these kits because they are over 10 years old,” Aduol said.
The commission also justified allocations for diaspora voting, saying there is a need to expand polling stations beyond the current embassy-based system in 12 countries.
IEBC Vice Chairperson Fahima Abdalla cautioned that procurement timelines for critical election technology were becoming tight ahead of the polls.
“We are running out of time, and if it were up to us, we would float the tender tomorrow,” she said.
MPs, however, questioned the commission’s rising expenditure and pending bills, arguing that IEBC should first improve its budget absorption rate before seeking additional funds.
Despite the concerns, the commission maintained that the proposed budget is essential to guarantee credible elections and meet constitutional requirements ahead of the 2027 polls.
