Lawmakers reviewed the proposals for additional IEBC funding which would go towards ballot papers and statutory forms (Sh2.7 billion), KIEMS kits (Sh9.3 billion), voter registration and biometric verification (Sh2.7 billion), election transport and field mobility (Sh1.5 billion), civic education and public communication (Sh1.7 billion), and poll officials (Sh5.2 billion).

📻 Breaking It Down

NAIROBI, Kenya May 25 – The Justice and Legal Affairs Committee (JLAC), has proposed increased allocation and upward adjustment of budget for IEBC and key justice sector institutions, with lawmakers supporting allocations to strengthen institutions ahead of the 2027 General Election.

The proposals were tabled during the Budget and Appropriations Committee where Departmental Committees presented their scrutiny reports on the 2026/27 Financial Year Estimates of Revenue and Expenditure

At the centre of the proposals is a Sh33.4 billion allocation to the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) to bridge funding gaps in election preparedness.

📌 What You Need to Know

JLAC told the Budget Committee that the electoral body faces a resource shortfall that could undermine critical pre-election activities.

Lawmakers reviewed the proposals for additional IEBC funding which would go towards ballot papers and statutory forms (Sh2.7 billion), KIEMS kits (Sh9.3 billion), voter registration and bio-metric verification (Sh2.7 billion), election transport and field mobility (Sh1.5 billion), civic education and public communication (Sh1.7 billion), and poll officials (Sh5.2 billion).

Committee Members learnt that the IEBC plans to register approximately 5.7 million voters.

Legislators raised concerns over preparedness timelines, questioning whether procurement delays could compromise election readiness.

“How do we guarantee timely delivery of KIEMS kits and ballot materials given the current procurement cycle?” Budget and Appropriations Committee Chair Atandi posed during deliberations, warning that delays have historically affected electoral timelines.

Speaking on pending bills, Makali Mulu (Kitui Central) raised alarm over pending bills particularly on IEBC legal fees amounting to Sh4.89 billion and pending bills across justice sector institutions, warning that delayed payments were crippling service delivery.

📰 Source: Capital FM Kenya