Here’s the amount election officials earned during 2026 polls

The Electoral Commission has released the official allowance rates for temporary election officials who worked during the 2025–2026 general elections and special interest group polls.

In a press release, the commission said the payments apply to presiding officers, polling assistants, police constables, BVVK operators, tally clerks, and sub county and parish supervisors who served during the election period.

“The Electoral Commission reminds all persons who worked as Presiding Officers; Polling Assistants; Police Constables; BVVK Operators; Tally Clerks; Sub County and Parish Supervisors during the recently concluded General Elections as well as Special Interest Groups (SIGs) Elections… that the rates for your respective allowances… are as indicated,” the statement said.

Sub county supervisors are entitled to 140,000 shillings for lunch and transport during the issuance of voter location slips, 50,000 shillings for transport during biometric voter verification training at district level, and 345,000 shillings as safari day allowance during nominations and campaigns. They also receive 20,000 shillings for lunch and transport during training of polling day officials and 57,500 shillings as safari day allowance during polling.

Parish supervisors receive 140,000 shillings for lunch and transport during issuance of voter location slips, 345,000 shillings as safari day allowance during nominations and campaigns, 20,000 shillings for lunch and transport during polling officials’ training, 40,000 shillings as transport facilitation for voter education, and 57,500 shillings as safari day allowance during polling.

Polling day officials receive 20,000 shillings as lunch and transport allowance during training for the general election and 50,000 shillings transport facilitation for biometric voter verification training at district or city level. Presiding officers also receive an additional 50,000 shillings transport allowance during refresher training.

For polling duties, presiding officers receive 100,000 shillings during presidential and parliamentary elections, 100,000 shillings during city or district local council elections, 100,000 shillings during municipality or city division local council elections, and 100,000 shillings during sub county, division or town council local council elections.

Polling assistants receive 75,000 shillings for each of the same election categories, including presidential and parliamentary polls, city or district council elections, municipality or city division council elections, and sub county or town council elections. Police constables deployed during polling also receive 75,000 shillings for each of those election categories.

BVVK operators receive 50,000 shillings transport facilitation during biometric voter verification training and another 50,000 shillings during refresher training. During elections, BVVK operators who also serve as polling assistants receive 100,000 shillings for presidential and parliamentary elections, 100,000 shillings for city or district local council elections, 100,000 shillings for municipality or city division elections, and 100,000 shillings for sub county or town council elections.

Tally clerks receive 50,000 shillings as training allowance and 300,000 shillings per election category.

The commission also listed payments for special interest group elections. Presiding officers receive 50,000 shillings during youth council elections, 50,000 shillings during persons with disabilities council elections, and 50,000 shillings during older persons council elections. Polling assistants and polling constables each receive 40,000 shillings during youth council elections, 40,000 shillings during PWD council elections, and 40,000 shillings during older persons council elections.

The commission said payments are being made in phases.

According to the statement, polling officials who worked during the presidential and parliamentary elections held on January 15, 2026 have already been paid through e-cash.

Payments for district and city local government elections held on January 22, 2026 are still under processing. Payments for municipality and city division elections held on January 27, 2026 are also under processing. The same applies to payments for sub county, town and municipal division elections held on February 4, 2026.

Other categories, including repeat elections, will be processed later.

The commission noted that some payments have been delayed because mobile numbers provided by officials do not match the names in the commission database.

“Except as indicated in Table One, allowances for polling day officials have been paid and/or are being processed exclusively through e-cash. All payments are made strictly to the mobile telephone numbers that beneficiaries provided with their job application documents,” the statement said.

The commission also warned that mismatches between phone numbers and registered names have caused some payments to bounce or delay.

It advised affected officials to update their details through their respective returning officers so the payments can be processed.

“The Commission wishes to assure all temporary election officials who were duly appointed and served during the General Elections that their allowances will be paid in accordance with the terms outlined in their respective appointment letters and at the approved rates,” the statement added.

The press release was signed by Electoral Commission secretary Richard Baabo Kamugisha.