Elections expert Ambassador Koki Muli attributes Kenya's high election budget, estimated at Sh63 billion for the 2027 polls, to a significant public trust deficit fueled by politicians.

• The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) is seeking an additional Sh20 billion to cover the budget, which includes Sh15 billion for ballot printing and logistics.
• Ambassador Muli, an elections expert, highlighted that distrust forces the commission to use costly, foreign-sourced security features for ballot printing.
• A key cost driver identified is the Elections Act provision limiting polling stations to 700 voters, necessitating the hiring of over 500,000 officials.