Treasury gives IEBC Sh36.8b for 2017 polls

The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) has been allocated Sh36.8 billion to conduct the next General Election.

The amount is Sh8 billion short of the Sh45 billion that the commission requested from the National Treasury.

Unhappy with the allocation, the commission told The Standard yesterday that it is holding talks with National Treasury and will approach the National Assembly's Justice and Legal Affairs Committee to convince MPs to ensure that the full amount is released.

According to the budget estimates submitted to the National Assembly, National Treasury Cabinet Secretary Henry Rotich will allow IEBC to access the money in two tranches — half of the amount now and the remainder next year, just days to the polls.

In 2016-17, IEBC will get Sh19.7 billion and in 2017-18 when the election will be held, the commission has been allocated Sh17.1 billion. The biggest tranche of that budget, Sh20 billion will go towards voter registration and "electoral operations".

"We have been in discussions with the National Treasury. We shared with them our election operations' plan and our strategic plan. They assessed our priorities and allocated accordingly," Mr Ezra Chiloba, the IEBC chief executive, said.

Chiloba added that the "Treasury remained open to discussions" regarding additional funding. He said the commission was keen to explain the spending plan to MPs to ensure that the allocations are retained, and even enhanced.