Alarm over funds for referendum

The electoral commission has sound an alarm it has no money to mount the August 4 referendum where Kenyans are to vote whether to take on a newly written Constitution.

The Interim Independent Electoral Commission (IIEC) told the Parliamentary committee on constitutional review that the Treasury gave only Sh2.6 billion when the referendum budget is Sh4.6 billion.

Furthermore, the Sh2.6bn has now been used up in responding to unforeseen needs such the Matuga parliamentary by-election due on July 12 in addition to 26 civic by-elections scattered across the country.

IIEC chairman Ahmed Isaack Hassan said the commission had requested Treasury to allocate them Sh4.6 billion to conduct the exercise but only received "a paltry" Sh2.6 billion, most of which had already been diverted for other equally important assignments.

Mr Hassan told the Parliamentary Committee on Justice and Legal Affairs that due to lack of funds, they had decided to use the money to amongst others run the by-elections in Matuga and 26 civic seats across the country. The hearings were chaired by Mr Mohammed Abdikadir.

Funds Not Enough

Part of the money, he said, had also been used to register prisoners in preparation for the referendum as had been directed by the Interim Independent Constitutional Dispute Resolution Court.

“We do not have enough funds...we are therefore unable to conduct the referendum,” said Mr Hassan.

He made the revelations as it also emerged that the work of most of the commissions under the long terms reforms umbrella - commonly referred to as Agenda Four - were also likely to be hampered by lack of adequate funding.

Justice Minister Mutula Kilonzo, while making a presentation to the same committee, said most of the commissions had been short changed by Treasury in terms of funding.

The minister gave an example of the Truth Justice and Reconciliation Commission which despite requesting for Sh1.2 billion to enable it effectively do its job, it only received Sh190 million. The commission had requested for Sh480 million.

“I even doubt if the money will last them two months,” said Mr Kilonzo.

The National Cohesion and Integration Commission, which is leading the war against hate speech was only allocated Sh157 million, said the minister.

He further revealed that the Sh700 million promised to the Committee of Experts to conduct its operations had not been released. “This is really hampering their work,” he said.

Mr Kilonzo only appeared to be content with the allocation given to the Interim Independent Constitutional Dispute Resolution Court which received Sh160 million.