Polls team allocated measly Sh3.8bn as election beckons

The electoral commission has been allocated only Sh3.8 billion as preparations for the 2017 General Election begin.

The amount shows that there could be no serious voter registration in the coming financial year as Sh2.2 billion will go towards salaries.

Only Sh111 million has been set aside for registration despite reports that millions of Kenyans have attained voting age and are yet to be listed.
Registration technology has been allocated Sh621 million while voter education and partnerships will get only Sh27 million.

Registration is expected to be a top priority of the commission in the coming year but funding could cripple the 2017 vote preparations.
The commission projected that it would register four million Kenyans in the coming financial year.

This year the commission had a budget of Sh4 billion but it only managed to register 4,691 voters.

LOW TURNOUT

A major voter registration drive currently underway has been hit by a low turnout. Cord strongholds that faced serious apathy during the last voter registration are again among the areas most affected, with leaders in the region insisting that registering voters is the work of the commission.

“They must make sure they make available the equipment to register voters. It is the work of the IEBC,” said Suna East MP Junet Mohammed.

Mr Mohammed also claimed the issuing of national identity cards in areas dominated by Cord was being sabotaged.

“We will demand that a list of ID cards released so far be published so that Kenyans can see what is happening,” Mr Mohammed said.

At the same time, the commission charged with sharing revenue has been allocated Sh284 million while the Teachers Service Commission will get Sh181 billion.

The Public Service Commission gets Sh1 billion, National Land Commission Sh1.5 billion and Salaries and Remuneration Commission Sh992 million.