Gachagua Alleges Plot to Manipulate Voter Data Ahead of 2027 Election

Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has accused the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) of manipulating a tender for new election technology to favour a South Korean company.

Speaking in Nairobi on Wednesday, Gachagua alleged that IEBC chairperson Erastus Ethekon and his deputy were pushing the procurement process despite objections from other commissioners. He claimed the commission’s procurement department had been reorganised to ensure the process proceeds as planned, with a new manager he described as a “puppet” installed to approve decisions.

Gachagua further alleged that senior government officials had already met representatives of the South Korean company, raising concerns about the security of Kenya’s voter database. He also cited controversies involving the company’s technology in the Democratic Republic of Congo, the Philippines and Iraq, claiming its systems had been associated with delays and technical problems during elections.

He warned that the proposed technology could be used to manipulate voter registration and disenfranchise voters in areas considered hostile to President William Ruto. He identified Western Kenya, Nyanza, parts of Mount Kenya, Lower Eastern, Nairobi and sections of the Rift Valley as potential targets.

The IEBC has not responded to the allegations. The commission has previously maintained that its operations comply with the law. Gachagua’s claims came as he prepared to leave Kenya for an extended political tour of the United States. The leader of the Democracy for Citizens Party is expected to spend more than a month meeting diaspora communities in five cities.

His tour will begin in Spokane, Washington, before moving to Portland, Kansas, Dallas and Boston. The visit comes as the IEBC reports a modest increase in voter registration among Kenyans living abroad.

Gachagua has described the trip as an opportunity to make strategic political decisions away from what he calls “external influence” in Kenya. He will be accompanied by his wife, Pastor Dorcas Rigathi, and has said he will remain in contact with his team while abroad.

Before departing, Gachagua is scheduled to hold rallies in Kiambu County, where recent opposition events have been affected by violence. His party has called on local security agencies and the International Criminal Court to monitor the situation, citing alleged involvement of hired groups in disrupting political gatherings.

The allegations against the IEBC come as preparations for the 2027 General Election intensify. Gachagua’s concerns about the procurement process and voter data security add to political tensions surrounding the management of the upcoming election.

His US tour will also give him an opportunity to engage Kenyan diaspora communities as he seeks to expand his political support beyond the country.