IEBC requires Sh40.9 billion to conduct next year’s general election, Chebukati says
The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) has announced that the 2022 General Election will require Sh40.9 billion.
Speaking at a media stakeholders’ workshop in Mombasa, IEBC chairman Wafula Chebukati said that they estimated Sh588 million for procuring items to be used in the Covid-19 prevention protocols bringing the total General Election requirement to Sh40.917 billion.
“It is worth noting that the Sh40.917 budget requirement is the bare minimum as per the electoral activities in the Election Operations Plan which are governed by the existing legal framework,” said Chebukati.
He asked National Treasury to give them what they require to enable them conduct the election next year.
Chebukati also urged the National Assembly to pass the Election Campaign Financing Regulations.
The Act gives the Commission the authority to vary the spending limits by notice in the Gazette.
” We urge all stakeholders to interact with the document on expenditure limits and communicate to the Commission in the event they feel aggrieved,” Chebukati added.
The statement comes after lawmakers accused the electoral commission of submitting the new rules late.
The lawmakers questioned the motive by Chebukati for submitting regulations to the House on the last day.
Speaker of the National Assembly blamem the electoral agency for late submission of the regulations to the house.
“They (IEBC) have brought the regulations late. It is not parliament but IEBC which has sat on its role to present the regulations for considerations. This House has the power to make and unmake laws,” Speaker Muturi said.
According to the constitution, the regulations should have been submitted and passed 12 months to the elections.
The stakeholder’s forum with Kenya Media Sector Working Group, Kenya Editor’s Guild and Media Council of Kenya is to discuss access to electoral information.
KMSWG has put up a committee to do stakeholder mapping in reporting the election by preparing the media on how best to cover the elections in 2022 objectively and accurately for 2022 General Election countdown.
