Some former insiders from William Ruto’s 2022 campaign and government, have raised concerns over electoral irregularities and the role of controversial IT expert Jose Carmago, whose presence at State House Nairobi has sparked fears of potential manipulation ahead of the 2027 elections.
The tensions escalated after former Attorney General Justin #Muturi claimed that Venezuelan IT expert, Mr #Carmago, whose technology was at the centre of electoral disputes in 2022, was recently seen at State House, Nairobi, raising suspicions about the integrity of Kenya’s vote‑counting systems.
Speaking on Wednesday, January 7, in Nyandarua County during the burial of the father of Kipipiri MP Wanjiku Muhia, Muturi alleged that Carmago and IEBC CEO Hussein Marjan were at State House on July 6 – 7, 2025, and demanded that President William Ruto explain the purpose of their visit.
Muturi claimed that the presence of Carmago – a controversial figure due to his role in the Smartmatic system used in the 2022 elections – alongside an IEBC official now serving as an advisor in State House, signals ongoing irregular involvement in Kenya’s electoral processes. According to him, the arrangement appears to explain Ruto’s confidence in securing victory again in 2027.
“If not, then let him explain what Jose Carmago was doing in the Statehouse last year together with Hussein Marjan,” Muturi stated, questioning the legitimacy of electoral preparations.
Opposition leaders are interpreting these developments as implicit confessions of wrongdoing from those who helped steer the 2022 campaign and later embedded allies within government structures. Muturi’s remarks have become a rallying cry for critics who argue that past electoral mistakes are being repeated.
DAP‑K party leader Eugene Wamalwa joined the chorus, accusing the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) of manipulating not just past elections but also recent by‑elections, claiming they followed a “Venezuela rigging model” by relying on the same Smartmatic technology. He insisted the technology system itself was an instrument of fraud and demanded the IEBC terminate its contract with Smartmatic and that CEO Hussein Marjan resign.
The United Opposition has also pointed out that the contract between IEBC and Smartmatic was extended in 2025, a move they decry as illegal and likely to compromise the 2027 polls.
Jose Carmago, a Venezuelan software expert who developed the Smartmatic electoral system deployed in Kenya’s 2022 election, was thrust into controversy when lawyers representing the late former Prime Minister Raila Odinga alleged that he had tampered with results by manipulating electoral technology.
Opposition figures such as Kalonzo Musyoka have previously claimed Carmago appeared in Kenya during key IEBC portal outages, further fuelling suspicions that foreign actors had undue influence over the electoral process.
At the same burial ceremony where the Camargo remarks were made, Opposition leaders also criticised President Ruto’s drug‑control campaigns, arguing the initiatives were borrowed from his former deputy, Rigathi Gachagua – and used as political cover. Nevertheless, the message from United Opposition was clear: they will continue to challenge Ruto and his team aggressively, promising to “send the President packing in 2027.”