Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has called on the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) to cancel its Sh6.5 billion election technology tender.
He warned that changing the election management system less than a year to the 2027 General Election could undermine the integrity of the electoral process.
Gachagua argued that the IEBC should instead upgrade the existing election technology system and address the shortcomings that have been identified.
He said the timing of the procurement raised questions about whether there would be sufficient time to introduce and test an entirely new system before Kenyans go to the polls.
“I call upon the IEBC to call off the election technology tender and instead upgrade the current system to address the few shortcomings identified so far,” Gachagua said.
The former Deputy President said his position was informed by advice from procurement experts and individuals within the electoral agency, who he claimed had raised concerns about the feasibility of introducing a new election management system with only about 11 months remaining before the elections.
“It is my considered opinion, following advice from procurement experts and IEBC insiders, that it is not technically possible to procure a new election management system given that the elections are 11 months away,” he said.
Gachagua argued that the time available was insufficient to complete the procurement, facilitate digital migration from the existing system and address challenges that could emerge during the transition.
“There is practically no time to facilitate digital migration from the current system and address whatever inadequacies are anticipated,” he said.
The remarks come amid controversy surrounding the procurement of an Integrated Elections Management System (IEMS), which has attracted scrutiny from political actors and other stakeholders ahead of the 2027 elections.
Gachagua claimed the procurement process was designed to favour a foreign firm which he described as a “discredited” technology provider.
He alleged that the IEBC had tailor-made technical specifications for the tender to produce a predetermined outcome in favour of the company.
Gachagua further claimed that the procurement was intended to facilitate interference with the electoral process.
“The IEBC is determined to force the discredited firm into the 2027 General Elections for financial gain and to bungle the elections,” he alleged.
Gachagua alleged that officials in the Directorate of Supply Chain Management and the Directorate of Electoral Management had been pressured to take responsibility for technical specifications used in the contested tender.
He claimed the officials had refused to provide what he described as false testimony in defence of the procurement process.
“The officials have firmly refused to give false testimony to facilitate corruption and electoral fraud,” he said.
The claims have not been independently substantiated.
The former Deputy President said officials concerned had approached him and asked him to raise the matter publicly.
Gachagua’s intervention comes as the election technology procurement faces a legal challenge before the Public Procurement Administrative Review Board.
He expressed confidence that the procurement review body would intervene and cancel the tender.
“It is my belief that the Public Procurement Administrative Review Board will also show patriotism to the country and cancel this tender in its ruling later today,” he said.
The IEBC has, however, rejected allegations that it predetermined the Sh6.5 billion tender or awarded it to a foreign firm as part of a scheme to manipulate the 2027 elections.
The electoral commission has strongly disputed claims that its leadership tailor-made the tender specifications to favour the foreign firm.
