Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has accused the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) of laying the groundwork for manipulation of the 2027 General Election through a new digital electoral system.
Gachagua made the allegations on Wednesday, August 26, 2026, claiming the procurement process for the Integrated Elections Management System (IEMS) had already been predetermined in favour of South Korean technology company Miru Systems Co. Ltd.
The claims were highlighted by The Standard in its Thursday edition under the headline “Rigging thunderbolt.”
According to Gachagua, the IEBC tender was designed in a manner that would give Miru Systems an advantage over competing bidders.
The tender, referenced IEBC/OIT/01/2026-2027, was advertised on August 11 and covers the supply, installation, testing, commissioning, support and maintenance of the IEMS and related equipment.
Gachagua alleged that the eventual award had already been decided before the procurement process was completed, describing the tender as a process intended to create the appearance of competition.
He further claimed that changes within the IEBC procurement department were connected to the tender, alleging that the commission's procurement manager had been removed and replaced.
The former Deputy President also raised concerns over the proposed migration from the existing Smartmatic KIEMS infrastructure. He alleged that the transfer of voter information to a new system could provide an opportunity to interfere with the voters' register and suppress voters in areas considered hostile to President William Ruto's re-election bid.
Gachagua named parts of Western Kenya, Nyanza, the Mount Kenya region, Lower Eastern, Nairobi and sections of the Rift Valley among areas he claimed could be affected.
He also alleged that senior government officials had engaged Miru Systems over access to Kenya's voter registration database.
The DCP leader questioned Miru Systems' electoral technology record, citing alleged problems associated with equipment supplied in countries including the Democratic Republic of Congo, the Philippines and Iraq.
He challenged IEBC to disclose who prepared the tender specifications, the market research conducted and internal documents supporting the procurement process.
The allegations come less than a year before the 2027 General Election and have renewed debate over the credibility, independence and preparedness of Kenya's electoral system.
The controversy has also entered the procurement process, with a challenge filed before the Public Procurement Administrative Review Board over aspects of the IEBC tender.