NAIROBI, Kenya — The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) has suspended its tender for the supply and delivery of ballot papers and other election materials following a fresh request for review filed at the Public Procurement Administrative Review Board (PPARB).
Acting IEBC Commission Secretary and CEO Ruth Kulundu said the suspension would remain in force until further notice.
“Proceedings for the aforementioned tender have been suspended until further notice following a notification of request for Review filed at the Public Procurement Administrative Review Board,” Kulundu said.
The tender covers the supply of ballot papers, tactile folders, the Register of Voters and statutory election result declaration forms for the 2027 General Election.
High Court Had Earlier Halted Tender
The latest suspension comes weeks after the High Court temporarily stopped further proceedings in the same procurement following a challenge by Oilmax Ventures Limited.
Justice William Musyoka, sitting in the Judicial Review Division at the Milimani Law Courts, issued a stay on September 10 after Oilmax challenged the procurement requirements.
The case concerns IEBC Tender No. IEBC/OIT/02/2026–2027, which covers ballot papers and the other election materials now under the suspended procurement.
In directions issued on September 7, Justice Musyoka certified the matter as urgent and allowed Oilmax three days to file and serve its substantive motion. The respondents and interested parties were given seven days to respond.
The court subsequently stayed further steps in the procurement pending the judicial review proceedings.
Bidder Challenges Tender Requirements
Oilmax went to court after the PPARB dismissed its request for review on September 3.
The company had challenged several qualification requirements in the tender, arguing that they could restrict competition and limit the number of firms capable of bidding.
Among the disputed requirements is one requiring bidders to demonstrate previous experience supplying at least 150 million security ballot papers under a single contract within the preceding five years. Oilmax argues that the threshold is excessively restrictive.
The company has also challenged requirements relating to financial capacity and financial capability, as well as what it says is an inconsistency between the qualification criteria and the tender’s 40pc local-content and local-participation requirement.
PPARB Ordered Changes To Tender
While dismissing Oilmax’s review request on the substantive issues, the procurement review board directed IEBC to clarify or amend the tender document concerning the acceptable form of tender security.
The board also extended the tender submission and opening deadline by at least seven days.
Oilmax is seeking orders quashing the PPARB decision to the extent that it upheld the disputed qualification requirements.
It also wants the High Court to prevent IEBC from proceeding with the tender using the contested criteria and compel the commission to reformulate the requirements.
Election Preparations Continue
The ballot-paper procurement is part of IEBC’s preparations for the 2027 General Election, with the commission having advertised the relevant tender alongside other major election procurements. IEBC has previously said its procurement processes are being undertaken in accordance with the law and that no award had been made in the affected tenders at the time of an earlier clarification.
The IEBC has advised prospective bidders to monitor further communication from the commission and the Public Procurement Information Portal for updates on the tender.
