Gachagua Raises Fresh Alarm Over IEBC Election Technology Tender Ahead of 2027 Polls

Former Deputy President and Democracy for Citizens Party (DCP) leader Rigathi Gachagua has raised fresh concerns over the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission’s (IEBC) procurement of a new election management system ahead of the 2027 General Election.

In a statement issued on Tuesday, September 1, Gachagua accused the IEBC leadership of victimising officials who, according to him, declined to defend specifications in a contested procurement process involving South Korean technology company Miru Systems.

Gachagua claimed that officials from the commission’s Directorate of Supply Chain Management and Directorate of Electoral Management were transferred to what he described as far-flung counties after refusing to support the tender.

He further alleged that the tender specifications had been designed to favour a particular supplier and that officials were subsequently pressured to defend them before the Public Procurement Administrative Review Board (PPARB).

The DCP leader said he was approached by IEBC employees who wanted the matter brought to public attention. He also claimed that 24 officials were affected by transfers and re-designations contained in an August 12 communication. The reported staff changes have not, however, been independently established as evidence of wrongdoing.

Disputed election technology tender

The controversy centres on IEBC’s tender for the Integrated Elections Management System, which was advertised on August 11, 2026. The tender covers the supply, delivery, installation, testing, commissioning, support and maintenance of the election management system, including hardware and accessories.

The tender was scheduled to close on September 1.

Gachagua has questioned the timing of the procurement, arguing that Kenya is less than a year away from the August 10, 2027 General Election and that introducing a completely new system could leave insufficient time for migration, testing and correction of technical problems.

He has instead urged IEBC to upgrade the existing system rather than replace it.

“The officials have firmly refused to give false testimony to facilitate corruption and electoral fraud,” Gachagua said in his statement, while calling on the electoral commission to stop what he described as harassment of staff.

He also warned that changing the election management system at this stage could have implications for the integrity of the voters’ register.

IEBC rejects Gachagua’s claims

IEBC has rejected the allegations, describing claims that the tender had already been awarded to Miru Systems as false and unsubstantiated.

According to the commission, the procurement process remains at an early stage and no preferred supplier has been selected. IEBC has also said the procurement is currently suspended pending consideration of the matter by the Public Procurement Administrative Review Board.

The commission has previously defended the tender and denied that its specifications were designed to favour Miru Systems.

The procurement has nevertheless attracted scrutiny. A challenge has been filed before the PPARB, while questions have also been raised over aspects of the tender requirements. The commission recently acknowledged an error involving performance security, saying it had initially set the requirement at 20 per cent instead of the 10 per cent provided for under the applicable rules.

What IEBC has been doing ahead of 2027

The controversy comes as the newly constituted electoral commission accelerates preparations for the 2027 election.

Among its major activities has been the Enhanced Continuous Voter Registration (ECVR) exercise, aimed at expanding the national voters’ register ahead of the polls. IEBC has also been working on election technology, voter registration and preparations for the electoral cycle.

The commission has projected significant growth in the number of registered voters, particularly among young Kenyans. It has also been conducting by-elections while continuing preparations for the 2027 national polls.

IEBC has ruled out undertaking a full electoral boundary delimitation exercise before the 2027 election, citing constitutional timelines and other legal and operational constraints.

With the election now less than a year away, the dispute over election technology is therefore emerging as an important test of public confidence in the electoral process.

For IEBC, the immediate challenge is to demonstrate that procurement decisions are transparent, competitive and capable of withstanding scrutiny. For the political class, including Gachagua and other opposition figures, the demand is for an electoral system that is demonstrably independent and trusted by all sides.

The claims made by Gachagua remain allegations and have not been established as fact. The outcome of the procurement review, together with IEBC’s subsequent decisions, will be closely watched as Kenya moves towards the 2027 General Election.