MPs call on IEBC to curb soaring election costs by regulating legal fees
The scrutiny comes as the commission prepares to spend nearly Sh1 billion on 23 pending by-elections, covering six National Assembly seats, one Senate seat, and 16 Member of County Assembly positions.
Members of Parliament have demanded that the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) control rising election costs by standardising fees charged by law firms.
A parliamentary report reveals that legal fees alone account for Sh2.7 billion of the Sh3.95 billion in pending payments.
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The National Assembly Justice and Legal Affairs Committee (JLAC), chaired by Tharaka MP George Murugara, also called on the commission to consider using in-house lawyers to handle some election petitions and cut expenses.
According to the report, the remaining pending bills include Sh360 million owed to the Postal Corporation for election logistics and Sh920 million for other unsettled costs.
“This committee therefore recommends that the commission standardise the fees charged by the law firms and engage in-house lawyers to undertake some of the petitions to cut down on cost,” the report states.
The committee has asked the IEBC to provide primary documents supporting all pending bills, particularly legal ones, to determine whether the Auditor General, Nancy Gathungu, should conduct a special audit.
“The committee, cognizant of its oversight mandate, has also directed the commission to submit before the committee primary documents in support of the pending bills, especially on the legal bills for consideration and scrutiny to ascertain whether the Auditor General should undertake a special audit,” the report adds.
MPs expressed concern over the high cost of running elections in Kenya.
The IEBC attributes this to factors including the transmission of results, court rulings leading to ballot reprints, foreign exchange losses, and emergency airlifting of key election materials and personnel.
Despite these costs, the commission has set aside Sh61.7 billion for the 2027 General Election, spread over three fiscal years. Sh15.3 billion will be spent in 2025/2026 on pre-election preparations, Sh25.4 billion in 2026/2027, and Sh21 billion in 2027/2028.
The 2017 General Election cost Sh49.9 billion, including Sh3.8 billion for election security.
For the 2023/2024 financial year, the IEBC’s recurrent budget stood at Sh4.69 billion. This covered Sh2.15 billion for unspecified costs, Sh10.765 billion for acquisition of non-financial assets, and Sh27.383 million for social benefits, according to the JLAC report.
The scrutiny comes as the commission prepares to spend nearly Sh1 billion on 23 pending by-elections, covering six National Assembly seats, one Senate seat, and 16 Member of County Assembly positions.
Some of the vacant seats include those of former Baringo Senator William Cheptumo, former Ugunja MP Opiyo Wandayi, former Kasipul MP Ong’ondo Were, former Banisa MP Hassan Maalim, and former Malava MP Malulu Injendi Injendi, whose departures were due to death or Cabinet appointments.
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