Extended voter registration cost IEBC Ksh 200 million

The court decision to extend voter registration period cost the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission’s (IEBC) an extra Ksh 200 million.

IEBC vice chair, Consolata Nkatha, revealed that the commission used between Ksh 30 million and Ksh 40 million daily, therefore, the added days affected its budgetary plans.

“It has of course dug a hole in our budget and we are going to talk to national treasury to see how we can fix it,” said Ms Nkatha.

Maina’s sentiments come as the commission moves to seek elections funds from the National Treasury as it prepares for the August General Election.

The electoral commission’s CEO, Ezra Chiloba, disclosed that the commission has already been allocated Ksh 19 billion in this year’s budget and is expecting the same allocation in the 2017/2018 budget.

“The current financial year, I think there is about Ksh 19 billion and in the next Financial Year we are expecting another Ksh 19 billion,” said Chiloba.

Chiloba expressed hope that Treasury will release the funds on good time to enable the commission move on with preparations.

The IEBC officials were speaking during at a bench marking workshop in Naivasha, whereby they shared experience with elections management officials from Ghana, Namibia, South Africa and Nigeria.