NAIROBI, Kenya- Former Deputy President and DCP leader Rigathi Gachagua has raised fresh concerns over the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission’s (IEBC) procurement of election technology ahead of the 2027 General Election, saying that the process is being designed to favour a South Korean company.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, August 26, Gachagua said the tender for an Integrated Elections Management System (IEMS) had been predetermined in favour of MIRU Systems Co. Ltd, a South Korean election technology company.
He said that the procurement was part of a wider plan to manipulate the 2027 election and interfere with the voter register.
Gachagua challenged IEBC Chairperson Erastus Ethekon to explain how the tender specifications were developed and whether they were tailored to the capabilities of a particular supplier.
“The tender process and result has already been preconceived and is awaiting rubber stamping to MIRU SYSTEMS CO. LTD of South Korea,” Gachagua said.
IEBC tender already advertised
IEBC advertised an international tender on August 11 seeking a company to supply, install, test, commission, support and maintain an Integrated Elections Management System, including hardware and accessories for the 2027 election.
The tender is scheduled to close on September 1, 2026, at 10am, with bidders required to provide a Sh30 million tender security.
The procurement has already attracted scrutiny beyond Gachagua’s political allegations.
A Kenyan company, Galadirel Investment Limited, has challenged the tender before the Public Procurement Administrative Review Board, arguing that aspects of the procurement are discriminatory and inconsistent with constitutional requirements for fair, transparent and competitive procurement.
However, there is currently no public evidence that MIRU Systems has been awarded the contract. The tender remains open, meaning Gachagua’s allegation that the outcome has already been decided has not been independently established.
Gachagua questions MIRU
Gachagua questioned why IEBC would consider MIRU for a system that will play a central role in Kenya’s next election.
He claimed the company had a problematic record in other countries and cited alleged difficulties involving election technology supplied in the Democratic Republic of Congo, the Philippines and Iraq.
MIRU Systems describes itself as an election technology company providing solutions for voter registration, election management and election results.
The company has worked on electoral technology projects in several countries.
Gachagua said Kenya should not introduce technology that could undermine confidence in the election.
“It is beyond discussions that Kenya would even imagine having such a vendor for our 2027 General Elections,” he said.
‘Who drafted the specifications?’
The former Deputy President put a series of questions to the electoral commission, demanding transparency over the preparation of the tender documents.
Among other issues, he wants IEBC to disclose the market research conducted before advertising the tender and the number of companies identified as capable of meeting the technical requirements.
He also questioned whether the mandatory technical and experience requirements could effectively exclude competitors while favouring a particular supplier.
Gachagua further demanded that IEBC release internal committee minutes, technical working papers, market surveys and approval records used in preparing the tender.
He questioned why the commission had required a Sh30 million tender security while, according to his statement, failing to provide sufficient information about the procurement’s estimated value.
Concerns over voter register
Gachagua’s most serious allegation was that the new technology could be used to interfere with the voter register during the transition from the existing KIEMS infrastructure.
He claimed the alleged plan would target areas perceived to be hostile to President William Ruto’s administration, naming parts of Western Kenya, Nyanza, Mt Kenya, Lower Eastern, Nairobi and sections of the Rift Valley.
He did not provide publicly verifiable evidence in the statement to substantiate the allegation.
The IEBC has, meanwhile, continued preparations for the 2027 polls. Its official website currently lists August 10, 2027 as the date of the General Election and shows ongoing preparations, including voter registration and stakeholder engagement.
Electoral technology under political spotlight
The controversy comes exactly one year before Kenyans are scheduled to vote, placing the procurement of election technology under intense political scrutiny.
Gachagua said IEBC must demonstrate that the process complies with Article 227 of the Constitution, which requires public procurement to be fair, equitable, transparent, competitive and cost-effective.
He also urged the commission to address concerns about the security of the voter register and the integrity of the technology before proceeding with the procurement.
