Kenyans expect the incoming IEBC commissioners not only to be legal experts or seasoned administrators but also electoral stewards who grasp the full weight of public finance and the future of the republic.
As Kenya moves forward with recruiting new commissioners to the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC), much of the national conversation is centered on integrity, independence, and the ability to manage free and fair elections.
While these are essential qualities, one crucial dimension that has been largely overlooked is public finance.
It is important to understand that democracy is an expensive affair and that elections in Kenya are not just political events; they are deeply fiscal in nature and the IEBC’s role is not limited to organizing a vote; it is the gatekeeper to the country’s financial future.
Every five years, Kenyans elect individuals who determine how more than KSh 3 trillion in public funds are raised, allocated, and spent. From the President to Governors, Senators, MPs, and MCAs, these elected leaders shape our tax regimes, approve national and county budgets, determine public debt obligations, and direct investment in infrastructure, education, healthcare, and agriculture, among other economic sectors.
Through the electoral process, we decide who will manage our collective wealth, who will prioritize what sectors, and who will be held accountable for public expenditure. It is then imperative for us to understand that in this sense, elections are fiscal moments and the IEBC stands as the institution entrusted to ensure this mandate is exercised with legitimacy.
The act of running an election is itself a major public finance undertaking. In 2022, the IEBC received over KSh 40 billion to manage the general elections. That funding went into biometric kits, secure ballot printing, logistics, training, voter education, and legal dispute mechanisms. When mismanaged, electoral budgets become breeding grounds for procurement abuse, waste, and logistical inefficiency.
Yet, if properly stewarded, these resources represent an investment in Kenya’s democratic and fiscal stability.
This underscores the need for commissioners who understand public expenditure principles, procurement laws, and value-for-money auditing not just electoral procedure. Even more concerning is the rise of opaque campaign financing. Every election cycle, millions of shillings exchange hands behind closed doors, far from the public eye.
It is well known that politicians often enter office owing favours to well-connected financiers who expect lucrative government contracts, tax exemptions, or preferential access to state resources in return. These transactions are not only unethical, they distort national budgeting, undermine procurement integrity, and contribute to state capture.
When electoral financing is murky, so too is the motivation behind public financial decisions.
The IEBC has a constitutional mandate to regulate campaign finance. Yet this responsibility has been neglected, in part due to political pressure, but also because the commission has often lacked the capacity, systems, or will to enforce transparency. As Kenyans, we expect that the next cohort of commissioners will be ready to confront this challenge head-on. They must treat campaign finance oversight as a public finance function and a necessary tool to safeguard fiscal accountability.
Equally important is the need to reimagine civic education. Voters are taught how to cast ballots, but not how to evaluate the economic implications of the choices before them. Election campaigns are filled with grand promises: free education, expanded healthcare, cash transfers, and debt write-offs. But where will the money come from? Are these promises backed by realistic budget frameworks? Will they lead to higher taxes or more borrowing? An electorate that understands these questions is better positioned to hold leaders accountable and to demand fiscally responsible governance. Civic education must evolve to include fiscal literacy and empowering citizens not just as voters but as active participants in the budget process.
This brings us to the present moment. The recruitment panel overseeing the appointment of new IEBC commissioners must take into account these realities. There is a need for the panel to recognise that this is not merely an institutional transition; it is a reset opportunity for the country’s fiscal integrity. The panel should note that Kenyans expect the incoming commissioners not only to be legal experts or seasoned administrators but also electoral stewards who grasp the full weight of public finance and the future of the republic.
They must be capable of managing large-scale budgets transparently, commit to overseeing and implementing campaign finance rules firmly and undertake to embed fiscal integrity into every aspect of the electoral process.
If Kenya is to build a future of inclusive development, responsible borrowing, and equitable service delivery, it must start at the ballot box. The democratic process is the foundation on which fiscal policy is built. Without a credible election, there can be no credible mandate to govern public finances. The IEBC, therefore, must be seen not just as a referee in political contests but as a custodian of fiscal legitimacy.
We cannot afford to separate elections from the question of how public money is managed. The recruitment panel must recognize this. Because when elections go wrong, public finance goes wrong. And when public finance goes wrong, every Kenyan pays the price.
James Muraguri is the Founder and Group CEO at the Institute of Public Finance (IPF), a think-tank based in Nairobi.
*The views expressed here are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect the editorial stance of The Kenyan Wall Street.
