IEBC pleads for funds to prepare for election

Lack of resources is hindering adequate preparation for the 2017 General Election, the independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) has said.

The commission's Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Ezra Chiloba, said they are having a challenge financing various programmes ahead of the polls that are slotted for August 8, 2017.

He was speaking in Kisumu during the release of a 44-page report on the 2013 General Election by the Law Society of Kenya (LSK) last Friday titled, 'Review of the Electoral Process in Kenya: An Appraisal of the 2013 General Election'.

Mr Chiloba stated that without adequate funding the commission's hands were tied and they might not be able to prepare well for the elections.

"We have requested Parliament and Treasury to give us Sh45.4 billion for elections. If we do not get this amount or we are given less, it will definitely raise concerns," said Chiloba, adding that there is need to do things early so that late procurement does not cause problems.

Chiloba appealed to the Government to give them the funds, even if in batches, so that they can start the preparations.

"If we can get even Sh20 billion in good time to ensure voter registration goes on, then it will really help us," he said. The commission is planning to hold a massive voter registration campaign starting next month and in February next year.

The CEO said the General Election will cost more due to the increase number of polling stations and voters.

"We used 31,000 polling stations in the last elections, but if we register 18 million voters it means we will have an additional 11,000 polling stations and definitely the costs will go high. Parliament needs to keenly interrogate our plan since we have presented it the best that we can," he said.

Chiloba said it is difficult to compare Kenya with other countries since it is only Kenya that runs six elections on one day and the only one that uses technology to the level it does currently.