IEBC chairperson Wafula Chebukati on Thursday said the attention of the commission had been drawn by a statement by ODM leader Raila Odinga claiming that the upcoming referendum cannot cost 14 billion.
Raila has occasionally said the cost of the referendum cannot be more than Sh2 billion noting that elections have been one of the major areas for ripping off the country through dubious schemes.
“The commission considers the statement very unfortunate and lacks objectivity and understanding of the conduct of elections,” Chebukati said.
Public Accounts Committee estimated that the cost of a referendum would be around Sh14 billion, a cost informed by historical data and previous experience in managing elections in the country, the IEBC boss said.
The table below shows historical-comparative costs that can help estimate the cost of the upcoming referendum:
As per the table, Kenya spent Sh10 billion to conduct the 2010 referendum under the watch of Raila as the Prime Minister.
Chebukati says the cost of a referendum is “a fact conveniently forgotten” by the ODM leader.
“At the time, the figures never attracted offensive statements from Raila. It is disingenuous for him to cast such aspersion without seeking clarifications from the commission,” Chebukari added.
In the 2017 repeat Presidential elections, which is a single ballot election the same as a referendum; it cost the country around Sh12 billion.
The proposed referendum cost has factored in all major cost drivers including technology, ballot papers, temporary poll officials, and security, among others, Chebukati said.
The cost of conducting elections under the Covid-19 environment has also been factored in.
The IEBC chair further stated that the commission will prepare a detailed budget once it gets the notification to conduct a referendum and the budget will be presented to relevant institutions for scrutiny and approval.
According to Raila, the estimated Sh14 billion referendum cost is outrageous and enough reason for the current electoral commission to be disbanded.
IEBC acting CEO, Hussein Marjan on Wednesday said the proposed referendum will cost the country Sh14 billion.
Marjan told legislatures that the commission estimated the cost based on the 2017 General Election’s 19.6 million registered voters.
“We have already sat down and asked ourselves what is required for the exercise. It will cost about Sh14 billion though we are still fine-tuning that,” said Marjan,
“That is an estimate which is based on the 19.6 million registered voters, but the number may have increased because of the continuous listing of new voters,” he added.
But according to the ODM leader, the projection by the commission is an indication that the “electoral body and the entire election management must be overhauled and streamlined”.
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“The Sh14 billion the IEBC is talking about is not only outrageous but also a manifestation of the institution’s insensitivity to the changes Kenyans are crying for in the management of public affairs,” Raila said.
Raila said the country will not entertain such impunity to continue being perpetuated in the BBI project, which is meant to bring sanity in the electoral process.
The former Prime Minister suggested that they pick a team to sit electoral commission to ensure “a cost-effective referendum exercise and elections”.
Related: BBI Referendum Will Cost 14 Billion, IEBC Reveals
