NAIROBI, Kenya—Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has accused the government and the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) of preparing to manipulate the 2027 General Election through a predetermined procurement of election technology.
The Democracy for Citizens Party (DCP) leader has specifically questioned an IEBC tender for the Integrated Elections Management System (IEMS), alleging that the procurement has been structured to favour South Korean technology company Miru Systems Co. Ltd.
Gachagua made the allegations on Wednesday while addressing journalists in Nairobi ahead of his departure for the United States.
He claimed the outcome of the tender had already been decided in favour of Miru despite the procurement process not having been completed.
“The tender process and result has already been preconceived and is awaiting rubber stamping,” Gachagua alleged.
The tender, referenced as IEBC/OIT/01/2026-2027, covers the supply, installation, testing, commissioning, support and maintenance of the Integrated Elections Management System, together with related hardware and equipment. The tender was advertised on August 11 and is scheduled to close on September 1.
The procurement has already attracted a formal challenge before the Public Procurement Administrative Review Board, placing the acquisition of the election technology under scrutiny less than a year before the 2027 polls.
Gachagua alleged that the technical specifications were designed around Miru’s capabilities rather than being open and vendor-neutral. He challenged the electoral commission to explain how the specifications were developed, what market research was undertaken and whether other suppliers could meet the requirements.
He also alleged that changes had been made within the IEBC procurement department to facilitate the process and accused senior officials of having links to the proposed supplier.
Gachagua further raised concerns over the security of the voter register, alleging that the transition from the existing election technology to the proposed Miru system could create opportunities for voter suppression and manipulation of electoral data.
He alleged that areas he considers opposition strongholds could be targeted through interference with voter registration and accused the government of planning to use the new technology to influence the 2027 outcome.
IEBC admits tender error
While the commission has not endorsed Gachagua’s allegations of a predetermined tender or an election-rigging plan, it has acknowledged an error in the tender document.
IEBC told the Public Procurement Administrative Review Board that bidders had mistakenly been required to provide performance security equivalent to 20 per cent of the contract price.
The commission said it had identified the error and was preparing an addendum to correct the requirement, noting that the law limits performance security to 10 per cent of the contract price.
IEBC has nevertheless defended the broader procurement process and denied that the tender was designed to favour Miru Systems.
The commission has also defended the Sh30 million tender-security requirement, saying the procurement is a framework contract and that the law allows tender security to be set as an absolute amount rather than as a percentage of the contract value.
The tender controversy comes as the electoral commission prepares for the August 2027 General Election, with the technology used for voter registration, voter identification and results transmission likely to remain a major issue in the preparations.
Gachagua has called for greater scrutiny of the procurement, while the IEBC’s admission of an error has added another layer to the debate over the transparency and management of the election technology acquisition.
The commission has not publicly confirmed Gachagua’s allegation that Miru Systems has already been selected to provide the IEMS.
With the tender process still subject to procurement scrutiny, the dispute is likely to remain a major point of political contention as Kenya moves closer to the 2027 elections.
