A recent study by the Netherlands Institute for Multiparty Democracy has found that Kenya's elections cost nearly three times the global average per registered voter. The Cost of Elections in Kenya 2026 report reveals that Sh54 billion was spent on the 2017 general election and Sh36 billion in 2022. The cost per voter remained significantly above the international benchmark of about $5 (Sh645).
According to the report, spending in the 2022 polls translated to Sh1,649 per registered voter and Sh2,566 for every person who cast a ballot. In 2017, the cost was Sh2,124 per registered voter. Molo MP and Finance and Planning chairman Kuria Kimani raised concerns over the cost of elections, stating that it costs four times more in Kenya than in South Africa.
The study attributes the high cost to the political environment surrounding the mechanics of running elections. The trust deficit remains the main problem, forcing electoral institutions to spend more on technology, security, and other safeguards to convince political actors and voters that the process is credible.
The report says the high cost is also linked to the way Kenya finances elections. Instead of treating elections as part of a continuous five-year governance cycle, IEBC funding rises sharply during election years and falls between polls. This "stop-start" model weakens institutional continuity and compresses procurement timelines.
Operations and logistics remain the largest expenditure component, involving more than 300,000 temporary election officials, transportation and warehousing of materials, and management of over 46,000 polling stations. Technology is another major cost, with spending on biometric voter registration, the Kenya Integrated Electoral Management System, electronic transmission of results, and cybersecurity.
Security also accounts for a significant part of the electoral bill, although much of the expenditure is not captured as election spending. The study identifies the Judiciary, Office of the Registrar of Political Parties, Ipoa, and Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission as part of the wider electoral ecosystem whose activities add to the overall public cost of elections.
The researchers warn that the official IEBC election budget does not represent the full cost to taxpayers. Low voter turnout also pushes up the cost, as fewer voters mean that the cost is distributed among a smaller number of people who actually cast ballots. The IEBC's projected budget for the 2027 general election is Sh57.3 billion, which may take election spending back towards the levels witnessed in 2017.
Key points
- Kenya's election costs are driven by mistrust, security, technology, and logistics.
- The cost per voter in Kenya is significantly above the international benchmark.
- The "stop-start" model of financing elections contributes to the high cost.
