The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) has expressed concerns over inadequate funding to facilitate the upcoming by-elections slated for November 27, 2025.

Speaking on Wednesday September 17, when he appeared before the National Assembly Public Accounts Committee, IEBC Chairperson Erastus Ethekon, revealed that the Commission has only budgeted for 16 out of the 24 by-elections.

Even with eight by-elections hanging in the balance, Ethekon stated that they have engaged with the treasury to provide additional money to cover the unbudgeted by-elections.

He stressed that the by-elections are sensitive and require timely financing.

“The 16 had been provided for, and we sort of caused a meeting with the treasury, and we raised a matter of the additional 8, and they assured us that they will be giving us funding for those ones. We are working with them; there is a little bit of back and forth. I hope they will unlock that very quickly because the timelines are sensitive,” Ethekon stated.

On his part, IEBC CEO Hussein Marjan disclosed that it will cost taxpayers a whooping Ksh 1.047 billion to conduct the 24 by-elections. He added that the treasury has already disbursed Ksh 788 million for 16 by-elections.

Marjan noted that the remaining eight will require Ksh 258 million, bringing the total to Ksh 1.047 billion.

“We have a total of 24 by-elections; the ones that are funded are 16, and the total budget for those 16 by-elections is Ksh 788 million; for the 8 remaining, it is Ksh 258 million, with the total cost capped at Ksh 1.047 billion,” Marijn stated.

In addition, Ethekon stated that IEBC will target to register 4.4 million youthful voters in 2027 in a bid to push the voter register to about 29 million from the 22.5 million recorded in the last 2022 general elections

Ethekon added: “We believe we will give Kenyans a very good by-election as a test run for the 2027 General Election.”