Kenyan Repeat Polls to Cost $120M
The 17th October is the gazetted date for a repeat of the Kenyan polls pitting National Super Alliance presidential aspirant and former Prime Minister Raila Odinga and Jubilee presidential aspirant and the incumbent President Uhuru Kenyatta. This is after the Supreme Court ruled that the August presidential results were null and void.
The two parties have for the past few days been to different parts of Kenya campaigning even though Raila Odinga and his team have stated that the elections have to be managed by a different IEBC team. NASA also wants the IEBC to appoint 291 returning officers who will undertake the order issued by the Supreme Court to open its severs.
The repeat election will cost the Kenyan tax payer up to 120$ (Ksh 12B). The IEBC has written to the National Treasury requesting for the funds so as to make necessary preparartions to the election date. Majority Leader in the National Parliament has stated that the Kenyan Parliament will consider supplementary budget of Ksh 11.7 B.
With the new budget the commission will spend Ksh 1.49B on technology enhancement to avoid previous hitches, Ksh 2.39B on polling officials wages and an extra Ksh2.9B will be used on training afresh polling officers and the hiring of equipment during the training. Unlike the previous election this consist of three, one Presiding Officer and the deputy. In total there will be 40,883 Presiding Officers, a similar number of deputy presiding officers, 135,038 clerks, 580 ICT support team and 290 constituency logistics assistants.
Ksh 1.9B will be spent on transport in the county levels, Ksh 1.3B will be spent on the acquisition of polling materials including ballot papers and boxes.
Ksh136M has been budgeted for security, Ksh147M for back end and technical support and Ksh516M on network and communications. The budget has also put in check costs in case of a fresh petitions Ksh52M has been set aside for a fresh presidential petition, Ksh273M on legal services, Ksh172M on verification respose and Ksh35M on oath of election officials.
