Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale has urged the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) to strictly adhere to the law as it prepares for the 2027 General Election.
Speaking during a wedding ceremony in Garissa on Saturday, Duale called on the electoral commission to uphold its constitutional mandate and ensure the next election is conducted credibly and transparently.
Duale urged IEBC Chairman Erastus Ethekon and the commissioners to remain focused on the commission’s core mandate and maintain transparency in all its operations, particularly in the procurement of election materials and technology.
He stressed that the electoral agency must comply with the Public Finance Management (PFM) Act and other procurement laws, warning against shortcuts or irregularities.
“IEBC is a very critical institution…the stability and the security of this country is in your hands on how you prepare the next General Election. Everything you do you must do in accordance with the PFM Act. You must know the weight of your office,” Duale noted.
“Please don’t play around with the democratic values and the stability of our country. The IEBC chairman is the deciding officer of the presidential election. They must take their work seriously and do everything according to the law.”
Duale’s remarks come amid heightened political scrutiny of the electoral commission’s preparations for the 2027 elections, including its procurement processes and choice of election technology.
The comments follow an order by the Public Procurement Administrative Review Board requiring IEBC to review and amend its tender for the supply and maintenance of the Integrated Elections Management System (IEMS).
The board directed the electoral agency to correct, clarify and amend sections of the tender document after finding that some of the requirements and evaluation criteria were not sufficiently clear and objective.
Meanwhile, former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has alleged that the electoral commission is planning to procure a new election management system that could be used to interfere with the 2027 General Election.
Gachagua, who leads the Democracy for the Citizens Party (DCP), claimed that individuals within the commission had informed him that Ethekon and IEBC Vice Chairperson Fahima Abdallah were determined to award the tender for the supply of the system to MIRU Systems Technology, a South Korean company.
The claims have not been independently substantiated, and IEBC has maintained that it is committed to conducting a credible election.
The commission has also dismissed criticism questioning its ability to deliver a free, fair and credible poll as preparations for the 2027 General Election continue.
