The IEBC purge raises 2027 poll fears after major senior staff shake up

DCP Party Leader Rigathi Gachagua (center) and his wife Dorcas Rigathi (right) flanked by Deputy Party leader Cleophas Malala (left) with his supporters at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport shortly before he left for the United States of America on August 26th, 2026. He has condemned increased use of goonism by politicians to settle scores during election campaigns. (Kanyiri Wahito, Standard)

The recent purge by the  Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) has elicited mixed reactions from the political players even as the sources within the commission murmur that the Electoral body faces the next year’s general election divided along the political lines.

The deployment and redeployment which was effected on August 12 saw over 24 staff either promoted or demoted with senior staff at the IEBC being sent to work in counties while junior staff being promoted to serve in senior positions within the  IEBC’s commission in Nairobi.

Some of the senior staff affected by the purge included Bildad Ochieng Owiyo who until the changes worked at the commission as the Directorate of Supply Chain management who was redeployed to Siaya county as the Assistant supply chain Management Officer in charge of inventory management.

Others are Caroline Nkatha who has been serving in the Directorate of Supply management office but was sent to Kisumu as the Senior supply chain management office.  Christine Nduku Makau, the Directorate of supply as the chain management has been deployed to Kiambu to serve as the assistant supply chain management officer.

Mr Edward Keem Ekalale who has been serving in the headquarters in the Directorate of Supply Chain management has been deployed to Kajiado county as the Assistant Supply chain management officer. Reremoi Gideon Balang who has been serving in the same department has been deployed to Nakuru.

Jacqquline Sabiri Odhiambo will now serve as the Deputy Director of electoral operations in Machakos county after serving in the Directorate of Voter Registration and Electoral Operations.

The staff who have been promoted include Abdibashir Alinoor Ibrahim who worked in Wajir and who has now been promoted to serve in the commission’s headquarters as Assistant Director voter education and partnerships.

Mohammed Yarrow, who served in Mandera will now serve as a senior accountant in the Directorate of Finance while Peter Resa who served in Karachuonyo, Homa Bay office will now act as the Deputy Director Electoral Operations and Electoral management.

Siyad Maalim Abdishakur who worked in the Lamu office will now serve as the Assistant Supply Chain Management officer.

“All affected staff are expected to hand over their current duties appropriately and report to their new stations within the stipulated period. Their supervisors are required to facilitate the smooth transition and confirm their reporting as provided in the respective letters,” an internal memo signed by the commission’s acting CEO Ruth Kulundu read in part.

The purge comes at a time when there are murmurs within the IEBC that there is an ongoing profiling of staff who do not seem to agree with key decisions.

Additionally, political players, who include Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, associated the staff changes with the controversies surrounding the electoral commission’s procurement process.

According to Gachagua, the staff changes that saw over 24 staff redeployed to various departments were a wider conspiracy scheme to bungle the next year’s general election.

The Democracy for Citizens Party (DCP) leader accused the IEBC chairperson and his Vice of trying to force the controversial Miru systems Technology from South Korea ‘into the 2027 General Elections for financial gain and to bungle the elections

“After they suspected that the scheme would face exposure and public scrutiny showing how they tailor-made the specifications and sneaked them into the tender to have a predetermined outcome, IEBC commissioners tried to force officials in the Directorate of Supply Chain Management and the Directorate of Electoral Management to own the specifications in defense of the Commission in the case filed before the Public Procurement Administrative Review Board challenging the skewed procurement in favor of MIRU Systems,” Gachagua claimed in his Facebook page.

Gachagua further alleged that the officials who faced the purge reportedly refused to give false testimony to facilitate corruption and electoral fraud, claiming that their refusal led to victimization and transfer from their departments safe for the ‘compromised head of department, to far-flung counties and replaced them with cronies.’

“Patriotic IEBC officials have sought me out from my short holiday and requested me to inform Kenyans of the rot, the intimidation, and the plans to bungle the 2027 General Election,” Gachagu said.

Further, Gachagua urged the Public Procurement Administrative Review Board to show patriotism to the country and cancel the tender in its ruling,

“It is my considered opinion, following advice from procurement experts and IEBC insiders, that it is not technically possible to procure a new election management system given that the elections are 11 months away, and there is practically no time to facilitate digital migration from the current system and address whatever inadequacies are anticipated,” he said.

He reiterated that there existed a real and genuine fear that the change of the election management system at the home stretch was a scheme to interfere with the voters' register, mostly in areas where President William Ruto had been openly rejected.

“I call upon the IEBC Chairperson and Vice Chairperson to stop the harassment and victimization of staff who have chosen professionalism and patriotism over manipulation and corruption,’ he said.

He also urged the commission’s chairperson not to be used to ‘throw Kenya into chaos and anarchy.’

“Do not subvert the will of the people of Kenya. Leave Kenyans to make their decision at the ballot. You live in Kenya, you have access to the people, and you can hear what they are saying about sending this regime home come 10th August 2027,” he added.

The Gachagua-IEBC wars started last week after he accused the commission of improper staff changes while the commission maintained that the deployment and redeployment of employees was part of its normal administrative functions and was guided by its human resource policies and public service regulations.

“The Commission complies with its Human Resource policies, guidelines and other relevant instruments under the larger public service when engaging employees," the statement read in part.

It further denied allegations of malpractice against the chairperson and vice-chairperson, describing them as fabricated claims intended to damage the reputation of the commissioners and the commission.

At the same time, Ethekon dismissed claims that the tender specifications for the supply, delivery, installation, testing, commissioning, support and maintenance of the Integrated Elections Management System had been tailor-made for Miru Systems Ltd.

“The technical specifications are generic, performance-based, open to any qualified supplier, guided by Supreme Court directives, lessons from previous elections and feedback from our field officers,” Ethekon stated.

Ethekon also sought to allay fears that the South Korean firm had already won the tender.

“No award has been made to any company since the Commission is not aware of those companies that would be competing in this tender,” Ethekon stated.

“Any attempts to cast aspersions on a process or outcomes of a process that has not yet reached its logical conclusion are premature and aimed at interfering with the affairs of the IEBC.”

The IEBC chairperson also warned bidders against engaging in political commentary or associating with politicians in an attempt to influence the Commission’s decisions.

“No amount of politically instigated allegations, intimidation, threats and malicious propaganda whatsoever will determine how we execute our mandate,” Ethekon stated.

He further directed any potential bidders with concerns about the procurement process to use the legal mechanisms available to seek redress.

“Where potential bidders have issues to raise, we implore them to follow the correct and proper channels to seek for redress as provided for by the laws of Kenya,” Ethekon stated.

The tender has, however, faced a legal challenge after the Public Procurement Administrative Review Board temporarily halted the IEBC's Ksh.6.5 billion election technology tender following a complaint by Galadriel Investments Limited.

The Commission also challenged Gachagua to provide evidence for his claim that politicians had purchased a house to influence its chairperson.

It noted that the alleged value of the property had changed from Sh80 million to Sh200 million and demanded that Gachagua provide details, including the location of the house, sale and transfer documents, payment receipts, and details of the seller and purchaser to the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC).

“The Kenyan public also needs to know the factual truth and nothing less. In the absence of any evidence, we urge the DCP leader to cease and desist from this reckless misinformation and smear campaign against the Chairperson, the Vice Chairperson, Commissioners and staff of the IEBC,” the statement read in part. “No politician should be seen to undermine the credibility and integrity of IEBC without justifiable reasons based on facts and evidence.