The upcoming Emurua Dikirr parliamentary by-election will cost taxpayers about Sh59 million, the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission has told lawmakers, as it seeks additional funding to support the exercise once the process is formally triggered.
Appearing before Parliament’s Justice and Legal Affairs Committee on Wednesday, IEBC acting Chief Executive Officer Moses Sunkuli said the commission has already prepared a budget estimate for the poll even though the legal process required to hold the election has not yet been completed.
IEBC is asking the National Assembly to approve Sh59,375,491 under Supplementary Budget II for the 2025/26 financial year to finance the by-election.
The commission explained that the amount was not included in Supplementary Budget I because it has not yet received an official writ declaring the seat vacant.
“The commission is yet to receive a writ for Emurua Dikirr, Member of the National Assembly. However, the commission has prepared a budget estimate of Sh59,375,491, which is not part of the supplementary I estimates,” Sunkuli told legislators.
The Emurua Dikirr seat fell vacant after the death of MP Johanna Ng’eno, who died alongside five other people in a helicopter crash at Chepkieb Forest.
Those who lost their lives in the crash included Robert Kipkoech Keter, Amos Kimwetich Rotich, Nicholas Kosgei, Wycliffe Kiprotich Rono and the pilot, retired Colonel George Were.
The group was travelling in an Airbus H125 helicopter, a light single engine aircraft widely used for VIP travel and aerial operations. The aircraft crashed and burst into flames.
On March 1, 2026, mourners were seen carrying the caskets of the victims at the Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital Mortuary in Eldoret City. The bodies of Ng’eno and the others are expected to be flown to Nairobi.
Under the Constitution, a parliamentary seat becomes vacant when a sitting member dies, resigns, or is expelled from office.
Once the vacancy occurs, the Speaker of the National Assembly is required to issue a notice within 21 days. After that notice, IEBC must conduct a by-election within 90 days.
The process begins with a writ, which is a written legal document authorising the electoral body to conduct the by-election.
The projected Sh59 million for the Emurua Dikirr race has renewed concerns over the rising cost of mid term elections in the country.
IEBC previously spent Sh143 million on the Elgeyo Marakwet by-election that followed the appointment of Kipchumba Murkomen as Cabinet Secretary for Roads and Transport in 2022.
Other by-elections triggered by Cabinet appointments have also required large amounts of public funds. The Kandara and Garissa Town by-elections cost Sh49 million and Sh44 million respectively.
Polls in Ugunja and Mbeere North each surpassed Sh100 million.
Beyond the Emurua Dikirr poll, the commission has also requested Sh887.9 million in Supplementary Budget I for the 2025/26 financial year to cover its operations and administrative activities.
The funding request includes resources for voter mobilisation, institutional upgrades and support for various by-elections.
Documents presented to the committee show that Sh7.29 million has been set aside for the exit package of former IEBC Chief Executive Officer Marjan Hussein, who stepped down following a structured transition.
A large share of the requested funds will support election operations. The commission has allocated Sh392.06 million to cover the cost of 12 completed by-elections and two upcoming County Assembly Ward contests.
Another Sh298.6 million has been proposed for operations and maintenance. This includes Sh168 million for the purchase of vehicles, Sh10 million for office furniture and Sh120 million for office renovations.
Preparations for future elections have also been included in the proposal. IEBC has set aside Sh190 million for pre-election readiness activities.
The allocation includes Sh100 million for media campaigns, Sh50 million for stakeholder engagement and Sh40 million for the establishment of a media hub and an election situation room.
The commission also told legislators it is dealing with pending bills amounting to Sh4.98 billion that are not covered in the current supplementary request.
IEBC warned that delays in approving the funds could affect ongoing and future electoral operations.
At the same time, the commission is facing a budget dispute with lawmakers over the cost of preparing for the 2027 General Election.
IEBC had proposed a budget of Sh63 billion to conduct the nationwide polls. However, the Justice and Legal Affairs Committee rejected the request and asked the commission to revise its plans to fit within a Sh41 billion spending limit.
The electoral body warned that cutting the budget could affect key election preparations, including Sh4.6 billion needed for ballot paper procurement, Sh2 billion for election materials and Sh0.9 billion for election security arrangements.
Despite the pending writ for the Emurua Dikirr seat, IEBC said it has already begun preparations to ensure it is ready to organise the by-election once the legal process is completed.
