• The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) is yet to pay election officials and county suppliers Sh1.949 billion for services rendered during last year’s General Election and subsequent by-elections
• The committee has Sh263.8 million owed to Bungoma county, of which Sh119.6 million is to pay poll officials, and Sh144.2 million is owed to suppliers and service providers
• Committee chair George Murugara said they will summon the National Treasury chiefs on the matter
The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) is yet to pay election officials and county suppliers Sh1.949 billion for services rendered during last year’s General Election and subsequent by-elections.
This emerged on Friday after IEBC Deputy CEO Obadiah Keitany appeared before the Parliamentary Justice and Legal Affairs Committee (JLAC) to answer a query raised by Kabuchai MP Majimbo Kalasinga on delayed payments to poll officials in the Bungoma senatorial by-election.
“As at April 4, 2023, the Commission had an outstanding Exchequer requests from the National Treasury amounting to Sh4.362 billion. This amount includes Sh1.949 billion requested on various dates from October 3, 2022,” said Keitany.
The committee has Sh263.8 million owed to Bungoma county, of which Sh119.6 million is to pay poll officials, and Sh144.2 million is owed to suppliers and service providers.
However, Keitany told the committee that the Commission had started making payments to the poll officials and suppliers.
“The outstanding amount will be settled when the money is released. We therefore request intervention of the committee for release of Sh4.362 billion to pay service providers across the country,” added Keitany.
He warned that the service providers and election officials risk further delays should the funds not be availed by the Exchequer in the current financial year. They will then be captured as pending bills.
“This may consequently attract additional charges in form of interest and litigation costs due to delayed payments. Moreover, the Commission will not have any additional funds for the payments. The affected suppliers may also withhold critical services,” he lamented.
Committee chair George Murugara said they will summon the National Treasury chiefs on the matter.
Keitany however, came under fire from MPs who wondered why they had not sought intervention to have the funds released by the Treasury.
“Even as you ask for our assistance we would like to know the steps you have taken yourselves as IEBC,” said Kanduyi MP John Makali.
Sympathising with election officials, Makali regretted that presiding officers, deputy presiding officers and clerks were yet to be paid, four months on. Keitany said they have written to Treasury without success.
“We have been writing to them, calling and even visiting their offices to have the money availed. It is not like we have been sitting doing nothing,” he said.
