NAIROBI, Kenya – Former Judiciary Chief Registrar Anne Amadi has proposed a radical cut in the number of polling stations in Kenya, arguing that this could significantly reduce the soaring costs of managing elections.
Amadi, who appeared before the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) selection panel on Monday, recommended reducing polling stations from the current 46,232 to 22,000.
Amadi’s proposal hinges on voter turnout trends, which average at about 65% of registered voters during general elections.
To accommodate the reduced number of polling stations, she suggested increasing the cap on voters per station from 700 to 1,000.
“Reducing the number of polling stations would lead to fewer resources being required, including security, transport, staff, and ballot boxes,” Amadi told the panel chaired by Dr. Nelson Makanda. “When the number of polling stations is fixed at the current level, the budget doubles unnecessarily.”
This move, she argued, aligns with the government’s austerity measures amid growing concerns over the ballooning cost of elections.
The IEBC has projected it will need KSh 61 billion to conduct the 2027 general elections, a figure that continues to rise with each electoral cycle.
Amadi also highlighted the need for legislative reforms to support her proposal.
She emphasized the importance of the IEBC’s Legal Affairs Committee in identifying areas requiring adjustments and called on Parliament to enact laws that would bolster the commission’s administrative capacity.
“We need a legal framework that is enabling rather than restrictive to the administrative process,” she stated.
The IEBC selection panel is currently interviewing 11 candidates for the position of IEBC chairperson following the death of Wafula Chebukati, who completed his six-year term in 2023.
The interviews, being held at the College of Insurance in South C, Nairobi, aim to identify a successor who will lead the commission ahead of the 2027 general elections.
