Rotich cuts budget schedule by three months for timely 2017 polls

What you need to know:

Budget estimates will be tabled in Parliament by end of January instead of April while the Bill that allows Treasury to spend money is expected to be ready by March and not June.

The schedule for preparing next year’s budget has been brought forward by three months in early preparation for the General Election set for August 2017.

A plan released on Wednesday by Henry Rotich, the Treasury secretary, indicates that Budget estimates will be tabled in Parliament by end of January instead of April while the Bill that allows Treasury to spend money is expected to be ready by March and not June.

This will allow for early preparation of expenditures like transport, polling kits like ballot papers and payment to polling staff two months ahead of the election .

The embattled Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) reckons it requires Sh18.9 billion in the current year ending June next year and Sh16.9 billion for the year starting July 2017 to prepare for the election.

“The objective is to ensure that the budget for 2017/18 is appropriated in good time for smooth operation of the budget before and after the 2017 general election.”

There were delays in buying poll kits ahead of the 2013 election, leading to irregular procurement of equipment that broke down, leading to suspicion of rigging.

READ: IEBC puts 2017 elections budget at Sh40 billion

The fiscal year starting this month, the IEBC has set aside Sh3.29 billion for phase two of voter registration. There will be a 30-day inspection following registration of voters which will be carried out by 15,000 clerks at Sh1.2 billion.

The electoral agency wants Sh3.5 billion to buy electronic voter identification devises (Evids) and results transmission kits similar to those that broke down in the 2013 General Election.

Over half of the Evids, or poll books, failed, forcing the IEBC to revert to manual system while the real-time electronic transmission of results from the field using mobile phones crashed.

In the year starting July 2017, IEBC says its transport costs will be Sh2.67 billion, pay for polling staff (Sh4.4 billion) and needs Sh3.9 billion to buy polling kits like ballot papers.

The budget calendar revision means that key documents will now be presented earlier than is usual. These include the draft Budget Review and Outlook Paper ( by end of next month); the draft Budget Policy Statement ( by November 10).

The Division of Revenue Bill and County Allocation of Revenue Bill will be ready by October 24 with draft budget estimates submitted to Parliament by end of January.