A cloud of uncertainty is hanging over eight looming by-elections after the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) admitted it lacks the money to conduct them.
The by-elections, scheduled for November 27, 2025, were thrown into confusion when IEBC Chairperson Erastus Ethekon, appearing before the National Assembly Public Accounts Committee (PAC) for the first time since taking office, disclosed that Treasury has only released funds for 16 out of the 24 contests.
“We had a budget for 16 of them. We are engaging in a back-and-forth with Treasury to provide us with the Ksh.258 million for the eight by-elections,” Ethekon said.
Ksh.1 Billion Price Tag
The commission estimates it will spend a staggering Ksh.1.046 billion to manage all 24 contests. So far, Treasury has allocated Ksh.788 million, leaving a shortfall of Ksh.258 million.
IEBC CEO Marjan Hussein Marjan confirmed the figures, saying:
“We have 24 by-elections. Sixteen are funded. The total required budget is Ksh.1.046 billion to conduct them.”
The revelations sparked sharp concerns from PAC members who pressed the commission on how it intends to guarantee credible polls with glaring gaps in funding.
Committee chairperson Tindi Mwale remarked:
“We also want to know as Members of Parliament where you need help or a boost so that we have a free and fair election.”
A Mini-Test for 2027
Despite the financial squeeze, Ethekon was bullish, terming the upcoming contests a “dress rehearsal” for the 2027 General Election.
“We believe we will give Kenyans a very good by-election as a test run for 2027,” he assured.
Part of IEBC’s broader agenda, he revealed, is to register 6.3 million new voters by 2027, 70 percent of them from the Gen Z and youthful demographic. If achieved, this would raise the national voter roll from 22.5 million in 2022 to about 29 million.
Delayed Boundaries Review
Ethekon also signaled that the long-delayed boundaries delimitation exercise could face yet another setback. He cited technical and financial hurdles, raising doubts whether it will be completed before the next polls.
“I know time has lapsed, but it will be important to know whether it will happen before the election or never,” observed Samburu West MP Naisula Lesuuda, while pressing the commission on the legal implications.
Ethekon replied that while the exercise is legally required, it remains practically impossible without fresh funding.
Scramble at Anniversary Towers
Meanwhile, IEBC’s Anniversary Towers headquarters was a hive of activity on Wednesday, as independent candidates rushed to beat deadlines for submitting names and symbols ahead of the scheduled polls—even as uncertainty lingers over whether all eight underfunded contests will actually proceed.
The standoff now places the spotlight on Treasury, with just over two months left before the first ballot is cast. Without the additional Ksh.258 million, nearly a third of the scheduled mini-polls risk being scrapped or postponed, raising fresh fears about the commission’s preparedness and the credibility of Kenya’s electoral process.
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