The Chairman of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission, IEBC, Erastus Ethekon, warned that the 2027 General Election risks serious challenges in case the commission is not well funded.
Speaking to KBC on Tuesday, November 18, Ethekon revealed that though the IEBC had asked Parliament for KSh 61 billion to prepare for the upcoming polls, the amount was cut down a decision he says could weaken the commission’s ability to run a credible and efficient election.
Ethekon explained that this direct budget cut reduces one of the most vital components of any election: people on the ground. Since 53 per cent of IEBC’s election budget goes into staff deployment, a cut would mean fewer officers at polling stations and at the national tallying centre.
In 2022, the IEBC deployed over 500,000 staff spread across the country to guide the process. According to Ethekon, pulling that off again in 2027 would be hard without the necessary resources.
Besides, technology is also an issue. The 2027 polls will depend largely on the Kenya Integrated Elections Management System or KIEMS handling registration, identification, and transmission of results. Still, some of the devices the commission used in both 2013 and 2017 are already outdated.
“Our elections are largely technology-driven,” said Ethekon. “Some of the kits that we used in the past are considered obsolete, so we need new, more advanced ones. Reducing our budget will definitely affect that.”
Besides financial concerns, Ethekon pointed to recent legal changes that shifted the power to prosecute electoral offenses from the IEBC to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions. He fears this shift may weaken accountability in the electoral process.
“It used to be that IEBC handled prosecutions, and it worked because responsibility was clear,” he said. “Now most cases remain unresolved, and that can give Kenyans the impression that there are no consequences for electoral offenses.” Despite these challenges, preparations for the 2027 elections have already begun.
The commission is conducting Continuous Voter Registration and is encouraging Kenyans to visit the nearest IEBC office to register. In areas set to hold by-elections on November 27, voter registration has been suspended.
