2027 Elections at Risk as Treasury Discloses Huge Budget Shortfall
Plans for the 2027 General Election may be seriously affected after the National Treasury disclosed that the Ksh9.2 billion needed for the electoral process has not been included in the current budget estimates.
This alarming information was shared by Treasury Principal Secretary (PS) Dr. Chris Kiptoo when he appeared before the National Assembly’s Budget and Appropriations Committee.
He urged Members of Parliament to reconsider the oversight and ensure that the missing funds are added before the committee finalizes and submits its budget report next week.
Dr. Kiptoo’s presentation painted a worrying picture of the country’s financial status, pointing to widespread budget shortfalls that are impacting several key government projects.
According to the PS, the financial gaps are mainly due to revenue collection falling below projected targets, which has put pressure on the government’s spending plans.
The PS was representing Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi during a discussion on the 2025/26 financial year and the broader Medium-Term Budget Estimates. His revelations came shortly after a similar concern raised by the Chair of the Justice and Legal Affairs Committee, Gitonga Murugara.
Murugara had earlier informed the same parliamentary committee that the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) was already struggling with Ksh3.8 billion in pending bills, which could further derail preparations for the 2027 elections.
Out of this Ksh3.8 billion, a significant portion—Ksh2.65 billion—is owed in legal fees, while Ksh298 million is required for election logistics and operations.
Parliament has instructed the IEBC to present detailed documentation and evidence for these financial claims before any new funding is released to them.
As part of its preparation for the upcoming elections, the IEBC plans to register approximately 6.3 million new voters. This will add to the current pool of 22.1 million registered voters.
The commission will also need a total of 59,352 election kits. Of these, 55,393 are meant for use at polling stations, and 3,959 will be used for training purposes.
Out of the total kits needed, 45,352 were originally purchased in 2017 and are now due for replacement. The remaining 14,000 kits, acquired in 2022, are still usable and will be reused for the upcoming exercise.
However, without the Ksh9.2 billion funding allocation, IEBC’s plans to prepare adequately for the 2027 elections could be thrown into jeopardy, posing a real threat to the credibility and smooth running of the polls.
Beyond the missing funds for the IEBC, the Treasury PS also exposed several other critical sectors that are facing serious budget gaps.
Among these is the National Police Service, whose medical insurance plan worth Ksh17.6 billion and group life insurance valued at Ksh6 billion have both been left out of the current budget estimates.
Additionally, funding for higher education is also under strain. The Higher Education Loans Board (HELB) needs Ksh34 billion to support university scholarships and another Ksh11.3 billion for Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) scholarships.
During his address to the committee, Dr. Kiptoo explained that the budget for the 2025/26 financial year is based on a projected revenue of Ksh3.3 trillion, which represents about 17.2 percent of the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
Meanwhile, the projected total expenditure stands at Ksh4.2 trillion, or 22 percent of GDP. The government aims to reduce the fiscal deficit to 4.5 percent of GDP in the coming year.
On a more optimistic note, the PS pointed out that inflation has decreased significantly. “As of April 2025, inflation dropped to 4.1 percent, down from its highest level of 9.6 percent in October 2022,” Kiptoo informed the lawmakers.
Despite this positive development, the glaring funding shortfalls across critical sectors raise major concerns about the government’s ability to deliver key services and maintain public confidence, especially as the country gears up for a crucial election.
Join Gen Z New WhatsApp Channel To Stay Updated On time https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaWT5gSGufImU8R0DO30
