President Uhuru Kenyatta Approves IEBC Budget for Fresh Election

President Uhuru Kenyatta today chaired a cabinet meeting that approved a supplementary budget, revealing the cost of the fresh Presidential election among other programmes.

Based on a proposal from the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC), Sh 10 Billion has been set aside for the upcoming polls.

Sh 25 Billion was allocated for the Enhanced Free Secondary Education Programme, while Sh4.2 Billion has been set aside for hosting the African Nations Championships (CHAN).

President Kenyatta had earlier on Thursday called on the electoral commission to put necessary measures in place and announce the date of the fresh elections, demanding it happen within the stipulated 60 days after the Supreme Court ruling.

Sh42.9 Billion was allocated to the electoral body to conduct the August 8th General election, making it one of the most expensive polls in Africa.

October 17th had been gazetted by the Chebukati-led commission as the date for the fresh poll, but it appears likely that it will be changed.

This is because OT-Morpho, the French company that supplied the technology that powered the Kenya Integrated Elections Management System (KIEMS), has stated that it may be unable to upgrade its systems by the set date.

While delivering the full judgement on the nullification ruling, Chief Justice Maraga made it clear that the Court would not hesitate to annul the next election as well if it did not meet the constitutional threshold of simplicity, accuracy, accountability and verifiability.

A big part of the petitioner's case was the failure of the Results Transmission System, with the commission unable to supply all the Forms 34A up to 10 days after the election.

The court ordered the electoral body to put in place a complementary system that would ensure results were transmitted to the Constituency Tallying Centre and the National Tallying Centre in the prescribed form.