Gachagua Claims There Is a Plan to Manipulate the 2027 General Election

Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has raised serious concerns over the preparations for Kenya’s 2027 General Election, alleging that there could be an attempt to influence the election through the procurement of new election technology.

Gachagua made the allegations on Wednesday, August 26, claiming that the tender process for an election management system had already been decided in favour of a South Korean company, even though the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) was still conducting the official procurement process.

According to Gachagua, the tender process was simply being presented to the public while the preferred company had allegedly already been identified.

“Kenyans do not know that the tender process and the result have already been preconceived and are awaiting rubber-stamping to a firm from South Korea,” Gachagua alleged.

The former Deputy President made the remarks while addressing journalists in Karen, Nairobi, where he questioned the transparency of the electoral technology procurement process.

He said the IEBC advertised the tender on August 11, 2026, seeking a company to supply and maintain an Integrated Elections Management System together with the necessary hardware and other equipment. The tender is expected to close on September 1, 2026.

However, Gachagua alleged that the final decision had already been made before interested companies were given an opportunity to participate in the bidding process.

He described the ongoing procurement exercise as a public relations exercise allegedly designed to give other bidders and millions of Kenyans the impression that the process was open and competitive.

“Mr Ethekon, what is actually happening is a mundane public relations exercise to manage the other bidders and 55 million Kenyans,” he said.

Gachagua Questions Changes at IEBC

Gachagua also raised questions about changes within the IEBC’s procurement department.

He claimed that the commission’s procurement manager had been removed from the position and replaced by another individual whom he accused of being under the influence of certain people within the commission.

The former Deputy President did not stop there. He also accused the IEBC Chairperson and Vice Chairperson of allegedly taking control of the tender process and pushing it forward despite opposition from some commissioners.

Gachagua claimed that the two officials had been compromised and were allegedly driving the procurement process without the full support of other members of the electoral commission.

“Mr Chairman and your vice chairman have been compromised and are the drivers of this tender process against the concurrence and the wishes of the other commissioners,” Gachagua alleged.

His claims come at a time when preparations for the 2027 General Election are increasingly becoming a major political issue, with questions surrounding the security, credibility and independence of the country’s electoral systems attracting public attention.

Concerns Over the South Korean Company

Gachagua further alleged that senior government officials had previously held meetings with representatives of the South Korean company that he claims could eventually win the tender.

According to him, the meetings were allegedly aimed at preparing the way for the company’s technology to be integrated into Kenya’s electoral infrastructure.

He expressed particular concern over the possibility of the company gaining access to Kenya’s voter registration database, arguing that electoral data is highly sensitive and should be protected from unauthorized access.

The former Deputy President also questioned the company’s previous involvement in elections in other countries.

He claimed that the company had faced technology-related controversies in countries including the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), the Philippines and Iraq.

“This is a South Korean company with a very bad history of rigging elections across the world,” Gachagua said.

He further alleged that equipment supplied by the company in the Democratic Republic of Congo had experienced delays and technical problems, which he claimed contributed to difficulties during subsequent elections.

However, these allegations have not been independently established, and the company’s alleged role in those elections would require verification from relevant authorities and credible evidence.

Fears Over a New Voters’ Register

One of Gachagua’s biggest concerns was the possibility that the proposed election management system could be used to create a new voters’ register.

He alleged that such a system could potentially be manipulated to remove or suppress voters in areas considered politically hostile to President William Ruto’s administration.

Gachagua named several regions that he claimed could be affected if such a system were misused.

Among the areas he mentioned were Western Kenya, Nyanza, parts of the Mount Kenya region, Lower Eastern and Nairobi.

He also included Taveta, Lamu and several parts of the Rift Valley, including Nakuru, Naivasha, Kajiado and Narok.

According to the former Deputy President, any attempt to interfere with voter registration or electoral technology could have serious consequences for the credibility of the 2027 election.

He therefore called for greater scrutiny of the procurement process and questioned whether the IEBC was conducting the exercise in a transparent and independent manner.

IEBC Yet to Respond

At the time of publication, the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission had not issued an official response to the allegations made by Gachagua.

The claims therefore remain allegations and have not been proven.

The IEBC has previously maintained that its operations and procurement processes are carried out in accordance with the law and within the constitutional framework governing elections in Kenya.

With the 2027 General Election approaching, concerns surrounding election technology, voter registration, procurement and the security of electoral data are likely to remain closely watched by political leaders, civil society groups and millions of Kenyan voters.

The controversy also places renewed focus on the importance of ensuring that every stage of the electoral process is transparent, accountable and trusted by the public ahead of the next General Election.

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