Rigathi Gachagua has put the IEBC on the spot over its planned acquisition of a new election management system, alleging that the process is designed to hand South Korean firm Miru Systems a key role in Kenya’s 2027 election.
The DCP leader said the proposed shift from the current Smartmatic KIEMS technology to a new system raises serious questions about the safety of the voter register and the credibility of the procurement process.
Speaking to journalists on Wednesday before travelling to the United States, Gachagua accused IEBC Chairman Erastus Edung Ethkon and Vice Chairperson Fahima Araphat Abdallah of overseeing what he described as a predetermined tender.
“The tender process and result has already been preconceived and is awaiting rubber stamping,” he alleged.
Gachagua said the procurement was being presented as an open process while the preferred company had already been identified. He described it as “a mundane public relations exercise to manage other bidders and 55 million Kenyans.”
He further alleged that the commission had dismissed its procurement manager before bringing in a replacement, claiming the changes were meant to clear the way for Miru Systems.
Gachagua also made allegations against Ethkon and Abdallah, claiming they “have been paid commissions in advance” to ensure the South Korean company wins the tender.
The former Deputy President questioned whether the IEBC had deliberately designed the tender requirements around Miru Systems’ capabilities.
“I would like to challenge IEBC to confirm if the technical specifications in the tender have not been specially crafted around the profile of Miru Systems.”
He also demanded an explanation of the market research conducted before the tender was issued, particularly whether other companies could satisfy all the compulsory technical requirements.
“Before publishing the tender, what market analysis did IEBC undertake to establish that multiple qualified manufacturers or system integrators could realistically satisfy every mandatory technical requirement, and how many suppliers were identified as capable of meeting the specifications without requiring exceptions or waivers?” he asked.
Gachagua also took issue with the experience and qualification conditions set by the commission, saying they appeared to mirror Miru Technologies’ past operations.
“How come and why did IEBC formulate mandatory experience and qualification requirements that absolutely correspond with the operational history of Miru Technologies instead of adopting proportionate, objective, and outcome-based eligibility criteria as required under the Procurement Act, and what technical justification exists for each restrictive qualification?” he asked.
The DCP leader's strongest warning centred on the handling of voter registration information during the changeover from KIEMS to the proposed Miru system.
He alleged that the transfer could provide an opportunity to interfere with the register and that carrying it out close to the election would leave little time to fix discrepancies.
“The real Mischief of IEBC as directed by Mr. William Ruto is to interfere with the voter register during the transfer of data from the Smartmatic KIEMS kits to the Miru Technologies Kits. This, they intend to do at the last minute so that there is not time to do corrections. This will cause massive vote rigging and voter suppression in some areas,” he alleged.
According to Gachagua, the alleged voter suppression plan would affect Western Kenya, Nyanza excluding Kisii and Nyamira, the Mt. Kenya region, Lower Eastern, Nairobi, Taveta, Lamu and some parts of the Rift Valley.
He also alleged that Interior PS Raymond Omolo and Immigration PS Belio Kipsang had met representatives of Miru Systems over access to Kenya’s voter registration database.
“With your concurrence, the PS for interior Mr. Raymond Omolo and PS for Immigration Mr. Belio Kipsang have also held meetings with Miru System Co. LTD. They are in the process of giving to the company access to the Country’s voter registration database for integration purposes,” he added.
Gachagua said the proposed technology change was coming too close to the 2027 election and could create unnecessary risks if the new system was not adequately prepared.
“Vulnerable and defective Electoral voting technology threatens electoral transparency and the credibility of an electoral process. Any attempt to change the election management system technology less than 11 Month to the 2027 general election is recipe for failure and chaos,” he said.
The procurement is contained in tender number IEBC/OIT/01/2026–2027, advertised by the IEBC on August 11, 2026. It covers the supply, delivery, installation, testing, commissioning, support and maintenance of an Integrated Elections Management System, as well as related hardware and accessories.
The tender is due to close on September 1, 2026, at 10am.
Gachagua questioned whether the procurement meets the requirements of Article 227 of the Constitution and Sections 60–61 of the Public Procurement and Asset Disposal Act.
“The IEBC must tell Kenyans whether this procurement process is in line with the provisions of Article 227 of the Constitution and Sections 60–61 of the Public Procurement and Asset Disposal Act (PPADA),” he said.
He also sought answers over the Sh30 million tender security, asking the commission to explain the estimated value of the contract, its commercial scope, quantities involved and the budget used to arrive at the figure.
The former Deputy President further challenged Ethkon over his appointment and personal integrity, alleging that the IEBC chairman occupies a Karen house procured for him at Sh200 million.
“You have a choice to make: stand with Kenyans, the 55 million of them, or choose to burn this country,” Gachagua told the IEBC chief.
He also revisited criticism surrounding Ethkon’s appointment, saying Kenyans have for years viewed the electoral commission as “an appendage of Mr. William Ruto”.
Gachagua's concerns also extended to Miru Systems’ record in other elections.
He cited the 2023 Democratic Republic of Congo elections, where he said observers reported equipment failures at up to 45 per cent of polling stations, potentially affecting about 17 million voters.
He further said the disputed elections in the DRC in 2018 and 2023 were followed by sanctions from the U.S. Treasury Department against the then head of the country’s election commission and two deputies over alleged actions that undermined democratic processes.
Gachagua also cited the Philippines’ 2024 mock elections, which used Miru technology, claiming the trials suffered from what he called “fatal flaws”.
He said human rights organisations rejected the company’s explanations and raised concerns that security and reliability problems had not been resolved.
In another example, Gachagua pointed to parliamentary elections in Iraq’s Kurdistan Region in October 2024, claiming voting machines malfunctioned in between 70 and 75 per cent of polling stations and failed to properly record or transmit results.
He said Iraq’s Board of Supreme Audit had already raised concerns about the credibility of the process days before the vote.
Gachagua further claimed that the South Korean government distanced itself from Miru after the company delivered ballot verification kits late during the 2018 Congo election.
He also accused the government of delaying the Elections Amendment Bill 2024, which he said would compel electoral technology suppliers to give the IEBC intellectual property rights and ownership of the systems they provide.
The DCP leader lastly linked recent ownership changes at De La Rue Kenya Limited, a security printing company with the capacity to produce election materials, to what he described as preparations for electoral fraud in 2027.
His allegations have placed the IEBC’s planned technology transition under fresh political pressure, with the procurement, handling of voter data and readiness of the proposed system now at the centre of his concerns.