November 27 By-Elections: IEBC Reveals Next Week’s By-Elections Will Cost KSh 700m

The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) will hold 22 by-elections on November 27
On Thursday, November 20, IEBC commission Anne Nderitu shared details of the cost of holding the scheduled by-elections
Nderitu explained why holding elections in Kenya is always expensive compared to other countries

Nairobi – The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) is making final preparations for the November 27 by-elections.

IEBC Commissioner Ann Nderitu speaking in her office. By-elections will be held on November 27: Photo: IEBC
Source: Facebook

On Thursday, November 20, the Commissioner of IEBC Ann Nderitu provided information on the expected cost of the scheduled by-elections.

During the interview on NTVNderitu revealed that the commission will conduct 22 by-elections across the country at a cost of KSh 700 million.

Nderitu explained that the high cost of by-elections is caused by equipment and the deployment of election officials to various polling stations.

He defended the amount, saying that managing by-elections in Kenya is a difficult exercise that requires a lot of resources.

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“In these by-elections we will spend about KSh 700 million. The biggest cost drivers are the election officials, the purchase of equipment, and the equipment involved in transporting everything to the polling stations. These elements have the heaviest burden,” Nderitu said.

He said that the need to train election officials to ensure the integrity and efficiency of the voting process and coordinate their deployment in various areas are some of the factors that contribute to the costs of running elections in Kenya.

Nderitu gave an example of how the electoral commission should use helicopters to transport electoral materials to areas such as Wajir, Baringo and Turkana.

“For example, in Baringo County, we must use vehicles carefully to transport equipment and staff. In some remote areas, such as Banisa in Wajir and parts of Turkana, we even use flights to ensure that the ballot papers arrive safely. This is important to prevent delays and ensure security,” he added.

Nderitu added that the election equipment itself is a big expense, given that Kenyans do not trust the election commission.

He said that the commission always ensures ballot papers, seals, stamps, and indelible ink come with strict security measures to control the trust of Kenyans.