Opposition leaders have expressed serious doubts over the electoral system that will be used in the 2027 General Election, calling for a total review of the technology before it is deployed.
Speaking in Kipipiri, Nyandarua County on Wednesday, they said the current plans to use Smartmatic technology lack transparency and could undermine the credibility of the next polls.
The leaders said the renewal of Smartmatic’s contract raises questions about impartiality and trust, recalling what they describe as failures during the 2022 General Election.
They claimed that the company has been involved in secretive activities that make it unsuitable to manage future elections.
Former Attorney General Justin Muturi, who joined opposition figures at the burial of Kipipiri MP Wanjiku Muhia’s father, said that evidence of undisclosed meetings involving Smartmatic officials has emerged in Nairobi.
Muturi alleged that the system has a history of manipulation and warned that the 2027 elections could be at risk. He said, "This company, Smartmatic, must be rejected. We cannot accept it."
The opposition accused IEBC CEO Hussein Marjan of illegally extending Smartmatic’s contract and demanded the decision be reversed. They argued that Marjan’s approval to let the company handle next year’s election was wrong and insisted, "We totally oppose this and we want it revoked."
They dismissed a planned trip to Singapore, describing it as a distraction from the urgent issue of election credibility. The leaders also flagged concerns over Jose Carmago, who they claim was recently spotted at State House.
Muturi demanded that President William Ruto explain Carmago’s presence in Kenya, suggesting it could compromise electoral integrity.
Muturi said that on July 6 and 7, 2025, Carmago and Marjan were seen at State House. He added that a local partner associated with Carmago, who was formerly an IEBC commissioner, now works as an advisor in the President’s office.
He said, “It is very clear the reason why William Ruto is bragging about his track record and that he will win is because the commissioner is now one of his advisors. If not, then let him explain what Jose Carmago was doing in the Statehouse last year together with Husein Marjan.”
DAP-K leader Eugene Wamalwa said recent by-elections were manipulated using the Smartmatic system, likening the process to what he described as the Venezuela model.
He claimed the opposition has evidence showing that the technology can be used to rig votes and demanded the termination of the contract. Wamalwa also called for the resignation of Hussein Marjan, saying the extension of Smartmatic’s contract was illegal.
Carmago, a Venezuelan IT specialist, developed the Smartmatic system used during the 2022 General Election. He faced allegations of tampering with results during election petition hearings for the late former prime minister Raila Odinga.
In 2025, Kalonzo Musyoka also raised concerns after claiming Carmago was seen in Kenya at times when the IEBC portal was offline for maintenance, with reports suggesting he continued working as a systems developer for the electoral body.
During the funeral, the opposition also criticised the President’s recent anti-drug initiatives, saying they were originally introduced by former deputy president Rigathi Gachagua.
They urged unity across the Mount Kenya region and vowed to continue defending citizens’ rights while promising to remove the President in the 2027 election.
