Why Mbadi wants IEBC to reduce Sh64b election budget

Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi. [File,Standard]

Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi has told the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) to cut its proposed budget for the 2027 general election, questioning Sh3.6 billion in pending bills the commission has raised and pushing back on its request for extra funding.

Mbadi told the Senate Devolution Committee that the cost of running elections in Kenya has become unsustainable, urging IEBC to embrace cost-cutting measures and adopt more efficient use of public resources.

"Our elections are too expensive. There are items like ballot boxes and surveillance equipment that are reusable. You don't have to buy everything afresh every five years," said Mbadi.

He added that the Sh3.6 billion in pending bills were questionable and that the figure should be lower. IEBC has been seeking an extra Sh6.1 billion to bridge a funding deficit.

"We don't have an option. We must run elections in 2027 and also the by-elections. So we'll have to realign our budgets. I know IEBC is complaining, but they must be more efficient," noted Mbadi.  

IEBC tabled a policy document in the National Assembly before the Justice and Legal Affairs Committee, seeking at least Sh61.7 billion to prepare for and carry out the 2027 General Election,  Sh19 billion more than what was spent during the 2022 polls.

MPs on the National Assembly Justice and Legal Affairs Committee rejected the proposal and insisted that the Sh43 billion assigned by the Treasury is enough to conduct the polls, telling the commission to cut unnecessary expenditure.

Treasury has so far allocated Sh45.3 billion- Sh9.3 billion for 2025/26, Sh24.9 billion for 2026/27 and Sh20.4 billion for 2027/28.

Despite this, IEBC faces a Sh16.5 billion shortfall as preparations for the polls continue less than two years away.

The European Union Ambassador to Kenya, Henriette Geiger, has questioned why Kenya's elections are so expensive, noting that Kenya's election is the second most expensive in the world.

IEBC deputy chief executive officer Ruth Kulundu attributed the high cost partly to a trust deficit, saying ballot papers must be printed outside the country because of a lack of trust.