Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) Chairman Erastus Ethekon has defended the commission’s independence amid concerns raised by former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua over the reported procurement of a new election management system ahead of the 2027 General Election.
Speaking during a High-Level National Election Security Roundtable Consultative Forum on Wednesday, September 2, 2026, Ethekon warned that narratives suggesting the electoral commission had been compromised could erode public confidence in institutions responsible for administering elections.
“These are narratives that will lead to certain risks and to distrust our institutions,” Ethekon said.
The IEBC chairman urged Kenyans and political actors to exercise caution as the country prepares for the 2027 polls, warning that allegations surrounding governance institutions could create unnecessary doubts about the electoral process.
“As we move towards 2027, we need to be careful about these narratives that have been woven around institutions of governance. We will guard our independence at all costs,” Ethekon said.
His remarks came after Gachagua, who leads the Democracy for the Citizens Party (DCP), raised questions over the reported plans by the IEBC to replace its existing election management system less than a year before the General Election.
Gachagua alleged that individuals within the electoral commission had informed him that Ethekon and IEBC Vice Chair Fahima Abdallah were determined to award a tender for a new election management system to MIRU Systems Technology, a South Korean company.
The former deputy president has questioned the timing of the alleged procurement, arguing that introducing a new electoral technology system roughly 11 months before the 2027 General Election could expose the commission to technical and operational challenges.
The dispute comes as preparations for the 2027 election increasingly come under public and political scrutiny, with electoral technology, voter registration and the credibility of election-management institutions expected to remain major issues in the run-up to the polls.
Ethekon’s latest comments underline the IEBC’s position that it must be allowed to carry out its constitutional mandate independently and without narratives that could undermine public trust.
The controversy over the reported technology procurement is likely to remain a significant issue as stakeholders assess the IEBC’s readiness for the 2027 elections and the safeguards being put in place to ensure a credible electoral process.
