IEBC Grapples With Funding Shortfall and Procurement Hurdles Ahead of By-Elections

The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) has acknowledged facing serious financial and logistical challenges as it prepares to conduct 24 by-elections across the country.

Appearing before the National Assembly’s Public Accounts Committee (PAC) on Wednesday, IEBC officials disclosed that while 16 by-elections have already been funded to the tune of KSh788 million, an additional KSh238 million is still required to finance the remaining eight polls. The total budgetary requirement stands at KSh1.046 billion.

PAC, chaired by Butere MP Tindi Mwale, had summoned the commission to respond to audit queries raised by the Auditor-General for the financial year ending June 2023.

IEBC Chairperson Erastus Edung Ethekon, flanked by CEO Marjan Hussein Marjan, Deputy CEO Obadiah Keitany, and other senior officials, told MPs that although the commission is committed to delivering credible polls, resource gaps and procurement bottlenecks remain key hurdles.

“We are carrying out all the by-elections, but some were identified later after funding for the initial 16 had already been approved. We are engaging the National Treasury to unlock additional resources urgently for the remaining eight,” said Marjan.

The officials also flagged delays in procuring election materials due to mandatory compliance with the government’s electronic procurement system (e-GP). “We’ve not procured any election materials yet because we must comply with e-GP, but we have trained staff and can now begin procurement, albeit with some delays,” Marjan explained.

Ethekon announced November 27 as the date for all pending by-elections, including Banissa Constituency, which has remained unrepresented in Parliament for more than two years. He stressed that the commission requires adequate time to recruit polling clerks, procure materials, and train staff to meet legal requirements.

“These by-elections will be a vital test run ahead of the 2027 General Election. Provided resources are availed, Kenyans will witness credible, transparent, and peaceful polls,” Ethekon affirmed.

The commission further revealed plans to resume continuous voter registration from September 29, targeting 6.3 million new voters, 70 percent of them youth. Registration desks will be placed in all constituency offices and 57 Huduma Centres nationwide, with diaspora voters also included through collaboration with the State Department for Diaspora Affairs.

On the voter register, Ethekon confirmed that a new roll will be generated from the exercise, integrating fresh data, removing deceased voters, and subjecting the register to an audit to ensure accuracy.

IEBC also noted that it had received an advisory opinion from the Supreme Court on boundary delimitation but was still reviewing the legal and financial implications. MPs, however, pressed for urgency, with Wajir South MP Mohamed Adow lamenting underrepresentation in his vast 22,000-square-kilometre constituency.

Funyula MP Dr. Wilberforce Oundo cautioned against escalating political tensions ahead of 2027, warning: “Election violence can plunge this country into chaos. These by-elections must demonstrate that political violence can be contained.”