The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) has raised concerns over a Sh22.9 billion budget shortfall that could slow preparations for the 2027 elections and disrupt ongoing work.
According to IEBC Chairperson Erastus Ethekon, the commission requires Sh63 billion to cover voter registration, voter education, and election logistics for the current election cycle, and the shortfall threatens to hinder these critical preparations.
Ethekon, who was peaking during the 2026 Legislative Retreat in Naivasha, highlighted past underfunding, noting that in the last financial year, IEBC requested Sh14 billion but received only Sh4.7 billion.
He urged Parliament to intervene, warning that inadequate funding could compromise election preparedness and public confidence in the electoral process.
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The Chairperson said the upcoming mass voter registration, set to begin in March, will be fully decentralised to reach all wards and the 57 Huduma Centres nationwide. IEBC plans to establish 27,000 registration centres and is engaging Kenyans in the diaspora to participate in the exercise.
On constituency boundary review and delimitation, Ethekon said the process had been postponed due to legal and procedural issues. The review, initially scheduled for completion by March 2024, has been delayed by a pending court case regarding population and housing data, which are crucial for fair representation.
Registrar of Political Parties John Cox also expressed concern over persistent underfunding of political parties, noting the shortfall weakens democratic institutions.
“In the 2023/24 Financial Year, Treasury released Sh884 million against an expected Sh5.9 billion,” he said, adding that continued underfunding was harming mandated operations.
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