Electoral team needs Sh2.8bn

What you need to know:

  • According to the documents by the commission, shows that IEBC requires Sh1 billion to finance the voter registration, which starts barely two weeks from now.

  • The amount is in addition to Sh500 million which the commission received from the National Treasury even though it had requested for Sh2 billion.

  • Opposition parties have criticised the government for failing to finance the commission adequately.

  • Justice and Legal Affairs Committee of the National Assembly would meet the commission’s management in Mombasa on Friday and Saturday to find ways of financing voter registration.

The Independent Electoral  and Boundaries Commission has asked for Sh2.8 billion from the National Treasury to carry out key activities, including voter registration.

The amount, which it expects to come from the supplementary budget to be tabled in Parliament next week, would lay the foundation of the commission’s preparation for next year’s elections.

Wednesday, IEBC Chief Executive Officer Ezra Chiloba said the commission requested the money from the government and expressed hope that it would get the figure.

“It is true that we asked for the money. We are not sure if MPs will give what we asked for. The commission needs money to carry out its mandate,” he said by phone.

The breakdown of the budget, according to the documents by the commission, shows that IEBC requires Sh1 billion to finance the voter registration, which starts barely two weeks from now.

The amount is in addition to Sh500 million which the commission received from the National Treasury even though it had requested for Sh2 billion.

“We did not get what we requested for but we hope to be given the amount for voter registration. We have been compelled to use the resources at our disposal,” Mr Chiloba said.

Opposition parties have criticised the government for failing to finance the commission adequately.

Cord leader Raila Odinga and his Amani National Congress counterpart Musalia Mudavadi have questioned the distribution of biometric voter registration kits and clerks recruited to carry out the exercise.

But Wednesday, National Assembly Majority leader Aden Duale said MPs would scrutinise the IEBC request and ensure that the commission was given money to register voters.

“As Jubilee, we will ensure that when the supplementary budget comes to the floor of the House, adequate funds are provided to the commission,” he said by phone.

MORTGAGE AND CAR LOANS

IEBC Communication Adviser David Makali said the Justice and Legal Affairs Committee of the National Assembly would meet the commission’s management in Mombasa on Friday and Saturday to find ways of financing voter registration.

“The IEBC is meeting the committee to discuss how it can be funded. We hope it happens before the exercise kicks off,” he said by phone.

In his letter to National Treasury Principal Secretary Kamau Thugge, Mr Chiloba said the Kericho senatorial, Malindi Parliamentary and four civic ward by-elections would cost Sh236.36 million.

He added that the commission required Sh1.16 billion to pay bills arising from the last elections, Sh24.4 million to verify signatures submitted by Okoa Kenya referendum proponents and Sh58 million to repair vehicles.

Mr Chiloba said IEBC still required Sh36 million to buy four vehicles for top managers recently recruited, Sh6 million to recruit new staff, among them clerks, in preparation for the next elections, Sh10 million for hospitality in its regional offices and Sh300 million for mortgage and car loans for staff .

At the same time, IEBC effected changes in its ICT department on grounds that it was “overstretched, not scaled, resourced and aligned to manage the complex nature of large scale projects and operations required for general elections”.

Most positions in the department  have bee redefined.