IBEC gets Sh21.7billion financial boost for August election
The Budget and Appropriations Committee of the National Assembly has authorized Sh21.7 billion for the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) in the coming fiscal year for the August 9 General Election.
A total of Sh655 million has been allocated to the Commission for voter education and partnerships.
In addition, the IEBC has been given Sh166 million for research and development, as well as Sh85.4 million for human resources and administration.
To settle pending invoices, the commission plans to spend Sh4.7 billion.
Election material (Sh1.77 billion), Covid compliance (Sh588 million), voter education (Sh197 million), and ICT are among the key votes to be covered under the overdue obligations (Sh2.2 million).
According to a report handed to the House yesterday, the Kanini Kega-led team refused to grant the polls agency the Sh27.5 billion it had requested in the next financial year for the August elections and related activities.
MPs on the Committee asked the polling commission to submit primary documents in support of the pending bills particularly those relating to ICT and legal issues for assessment and analysis in order to determine if the Auditor General should conduct a special audit.
This is part of the country’s ambitious Sh3.32 trillion budget which comes amid underlying social, political and economic risks on the back of a pandemic and elections.
This comes on the back of dwindling economic fortunes which saw the Covid-19 stagnate the economy, a possibility of Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) missing targets for the coming fiscal year.
“Budget ceiling for Financial Year 2022/23 is estimated at Sh3.32 trillion. Of this proposed ceiling, Sh2.02 trillion is the ceiling for the Executive; Sh38.48 billion is the ceiling for Parliament; and Sh18.88 billion is the ceiling for the Judiciary,” said the committee.
