Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has accused the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) of victimizing officials who allegedly refused to support a disputed election technology tender ahead of the 2027 General Election.
Gachagua made the allegations in a statement in which he claimed that officials in the IEBC’s Directorate of Supply Chain Management and Directorate of Voter Registration and Electoral Operations were transferred after declining to give what he described as false testimony in a procurement dispute involving South Korean firm Miru Systems.
The former DP claimed the IEBC Chairman Erastus Ethekon and Vice Chairperson were pushing to have MIRU Systems provide election technology for the 2027 General Election, alleging that the tender specifications had been tailored to favour the company.
He alleged that the IEBC leadership had moved the officials after they refused to support specifications that he claimed were designed to produce a predetermined procurement outcome in favour of MIRU Systems.
“The officials have firmly refused to give false testimony to facilitate corruption and electoral fraud. Consequently, the Chairman and his Vice Chair have victimized officials in the two departments and transferred all of them, except the compromised head of department, to far-flung counties and replaced them with cronies,” he said.
His claims come against the backdrop of an IEBC memo dated August 12, 2026, announcing a series of staff transfers and redesignations involving officials from the two directorates.
Gachagua Alleges IEBC Purged Officials Over Disputed 2027 Election Technology Tender
According to the memo, the affected officers were required to report to their new stations by August 17, 2026, with several moved from IEBC headquarters to county offices and other stations.
Gachagua alleged that the transfers amounted to retaliation, claiming that officials had been pressured to take ownership of specifications used in the disputed procurement.
The memo lists 24 affected officers.
Among those named are Abdibashir Alinoor Ibrahim, transferred from the Wajir County Office to the Directorate of Voter Education and Partnerships at IEBC headquarters, where he was re-designated Assistant Director, Voter Education and Partnerships – Partnerships and Stakeholder Engagement.
Abdidahir Maalim Abdi was moved from the Directorate of Voter Registration and Electoral Operations at headquarters to the Mandera County Office and re-designated Deputy Director, Electoral Operations.
Adan Harar Noor was transferred from the Mandera County Office to the Directorate of Voter Registration and Electoral Operations at headquarters as Deputy Director, Electoral Operations – Voter Registration.
Benjamin Kimwei was moved within the Directorate of Voter Education and Partnerships and re-designated Assistant Director, Electoral Operations – Electoral Training.
Bildad Ochieng Owiyo was transferred from the Directorate of Supply Chain Management at headquarters to the Siaya County Office as Assistant Supply Chain Management Officer II – Inventory Management.
Other officers listed in the memo include Caroline Nkatha Mwongera, Christine Kilonzo, Christine Nduku Makau, Edward Keem Ekalale, Everlyne Juma, Reremoi Gideon Balang, Jacob Odhiambo Omolo, Jacqueline Sabiri Osiemo, Josephat Osiemo Motitikwa, Lawrence Okumu Barasa, Martin Wachira Nyaga, Maryam Alamin Takdir, Mohamed Yarrow, Nelie Ilongo, Nuru Ismail Abdalla, Peter Resa, Roy Ekamais Lokaale, Samson Matilu and Siyad Maalim Abdishakur.
The changes affect officers working in the electoral operations, voter registration, voter education, information and communication technology and supply chain management departments, among other areas.
The memo directs all affected staff to hand over their current responsibilities and report to their new stations within the stipulated period. It also instructs supervisors to facilitate the transition and confirm that the officers have reported to their new stations.
Gachagua Links Transfers to MIRU Tender, Raises Concerns Over 2027 Election System
Gachagua, however, linked the staff changes to the ongoing controversy surrounding the procurement of a new election management system.
He further claimed that some IEBC officials had approached him while he was on holiday to raise concerns over what he described as intimidation, corruption and interference with preparations for the 2027 elections.
Gachagua also questioned whether IEBC has sufficient time to replace its existing election management system with less than a year to the August 2027 General Election.
He argued that procuring a new system at this stage would leave limited time for digital migration, testing and addressing potential weaknesses before the elections.
“It is not technically possible to procure a new election management system given that the elections are 11 months away,” he claimed, citing advice he said he had received from procurement experts and IEBC insiders.
Gachagua called on IEBC to abandon the tender and instead upgrade the existing election management system to address shortcomings identified so far.
He also raised concerns that changing the system could affect the integrity of the voters’ register.
“There is real and genuine fear that the change of the election management system at this late hour is a scheme to interfere with the voters’ register,” he alleged.
Gachagua specifically claimed that such interference could disproportionately affect areas where President William Ruto had performed poorly in previous elections.
The allegations come as the procurement faces a challenge before the Public Procurement Administrative Review Board.
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