Nairobi — The new voter registration process is set to start in February next year.

The Interim Independent Electoral Commission chairman Isaack Hassan said Tuesday that "the commission is currently putting in place mechanisms to facilitate voter registration."

He was speaking at the Serena Hotel, Nairobi after a meting with Kenya's mediator Kofi Annan on Tuesday to brief the former United Nations secretary general on progress made by his team since its formation.

Mr Hassan said that the commission requires Sh 6.4billion to set up a secretariat for the registration exercise. He added an additional Sh3.6 billion is needed to carry out a referendum for the new constitution.

The country has no voter register following the disbandment of the Samuel Kivuitu-led Electoral Commission of Kenya last year.

The IIEC chairman said that the commission will seek help from the government and donors to meet its budget adding that his team has only Sh1billion.

"The registration of voters is crucial for the referendum expected in June or July," said Mr Hassan. However, according to the Committee of Experts schedule, a referendum is slated for April.

He was, however, hopeful that the commission will have enough time to carry out registration countrywide ahead of the constitutional referendum.

Mr Hassan said his commission was currently interviewing candidates for the position of electoral coordinators in all 210 constituencies.

The IIEC is also to employ 210 deputy coordinators on a four-month contract.

The commission, whose two-year mandate include setting up a new voters' roll, will also hire 50,000 registration clerks to be stationed in various constituencies.

"The voter registration can only start after the necessary infrastructure is put in place and staff recruited," said Mr Hassan.

Already, a tender for upgrading the commission's server and hardware has been floated and the IIEC has advertised for 18million voter registration material, said Mr Hassan. He added that he expected the process to be complete by January next year.

Mr Annan also met the Interim Independent Boundaries Review Commission members and its chair Mr Andrew Ligale gave the mediator various reports compiled by his team.

Mr Ligale told journalists that civic education programme is on course adding that the commission will go to the district and constituency levels to hear views of the public by January.

Mr Ligale said that the one-man one-vote push by politicians was not affecting the commission's work.

He said that population density in rural and urban areas, geographical features, communication, community interests were among issues to determine the new electoral boundaries.

Mr Annan, who is in the country to follow up on reforms agreed on the National Accord, will leave Kenya later Tuesday.