In a detailed decision rendered by the Public Procurement Administrative Review Board (PPARB) directed the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) to correct, clarify and amend various sections of the tender document before publishing a fresh version and inviting bidders to submit new bids.

“The Respondents are hereby directed to review and make the necessary corrections, clarifications and/or amendments to the Tender Document in accordance with the findings of the Board contained in this Decision,” the Board chaired by Vice Chairperson Alice Oeri

The decision affects Tender No. IEBC/OIT/01/2026-2027, which covers the supply, delivery, installation, testing, commissioning, support and maintenance of the IEMS, including hardware equipment and accessories.

The tender had been scheduled to close on September 1, but the procurement process was automatically suspended after Galadirel Investments Limited filed a request for review before the Board on August 14.

The Board found several deficiencies in the tender document, particularly provisions governing the technical evaluation of bids.

The tribunal found that IEBC had failed to clearly set out how bidders would be scored under several technical evaluation criteria.

It singled out the technical evaluation criteria on pages 34 to 36 of the tender document, saying bidders could not determine in advance how their scores would be calculated within the point ranges provided.

“The Tender Document does not indicate the score attributable to each of these attributes, nor does it provide a scale or objective benchmarks for distinguishing, for example, a score of two per cent (2%) from seven per cent (7%) or ten per cent (10%),” the Board ruled.

It added: “tenderers cannot ascertain in advance how the evaluator will translate the extent or combination of the stated attributes into a particular score.”

The Board said the ambiguity was significant because the technical evaluation carried a total of 100 points and bidders were required to attain a minimum score to proceed.

It therefore found that a bidder’s ability to qualify could potentially depend on criteria whose scoring methodology had not been objectively disclosed.

The tribunal also questioned the use of both a “Max Score” column and a separate “Compliance (Y/N)” parameter in the evaluation criteria.

According to the Board, the tender did not make it sufficiently clear whether a bidder marked “Yes” for compliance would automatically receive the maximum score or would merely qualify for further assessment.

The tribunal also faulted IEBC over a mandatory preliminary requirement requiring bidders to provide a “certified copy of tax compliance/exemption certificate or equivalent.”

It found the words “or equivalent” created uncertainty, particularly because the tender was an open international procurement involving prospective foreign bidders.

The Board further found ambiguity in Clause 8 of the tender document, which referred to both post-qualification and non-post-qualification without clearly stating which procurement method would apply.

However, the tribunal rejected some of Galadirel’s complaints.

It dismissed the company’s claim that IEBC had unlawfully imposed a 20 per cent performance security, finding that the Special Conditions of Contract actually prescribed a 10 per cent security, which was consistent with Section 142 of the Public Procurement and Asset Disposal Act.

The Board also rejected the challenge against the Sh30 million tender security, ruling that Galadirel had not demonstrated that the amount exceeded the statutory two per cent ceiling based on the value of the tender.

IEBC had also asked the tribunal to dismiss the case, arguing that Galadirel should first have sought clarification from the Commission under Section 75 of the Public Procurement and Asset Disposal Act.

The Board rejected the argument and held that it had jurisdiction to determine the dispute under Section 167(1).

However, it cautioned bidders against treating the statutory clarification process under Section 75 “as an optional procedural formality.”

However, the Board did not uphold Galadriel’s allegation that the tender had been tailored to favour Miru Systems.

In its final orders, the tribunal allowed Galadirel’s request for review in part and directed IEBC to undertake the necessary corrections, clarifications and amendments identified in the decision.

After making the changes, IEBC has been ordered to publish a new and compliant tender document and give prospective bidders time to consider the amendments and prepare their bids.

The Board specified that the period given to bidders must not be less than seven days.

“Upon undertaking the review and making the necessary corrections and/or amendments, the Respondents shall issue and publish a new and compliant Tender Document and accord prospective tenderers such period as may be prescribed by law, provided that such period shall not be less than seven (7) days to consider the amendments and prepare and submit their tenders,” the Board said.

The Board further gave IEBC permission to seek technical assistance from the Public Procurement Regulatory Authority (PPRA) and ordered that a copy of the decision be placed before the Authority’s Director-General.

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Gachagua claimed on Wednesday that South Korean company Miru Systems Co. Ltd had effectively been selected to supply Kenya’s Integrated Elections Management System (IEMS), despite the procurement process remaining open.

The tender, referenced as IEBC/OIT/01/2026-2027, was advertised by IEBC on August 11 and is scheduled to close on September 1, 2026, at 10am.

“What Kenyans do not know is that the tender process and result has already been pre-conceived and is awaiting rubber stamping to MIRU SYSTEMS CO. LTD of South Korea,” Gachagua alleged.

He made the remarks while addressing the media before travelling to the United States, where he is expected to spend about eight weeks.

Gachagua accused the commission, led by Chairperson Erastus Edung Ethekon, of conducting what he described as a sham procurement process designed to create an appearance of competition among bidders.

He questioned how the technical specifications for the tender were developed and whether they had been tailored to favour Miru Systems.

“Can IEBC produce documentary evidence showing who drafted the technical specifications for Tender No. IEBC/OIT/01/2026–2027, including all internal committee minutes, technical working papers, market surveys, and approval records?” he asked.

The DCP leader also alleged that changes had been made within the IEBC procurement department to facilitate the process, claiming the commission’s procurement manager had been removed and replaced with an individual he described as a “puppet”.

Gachagua further questioned whether the commission had undertaken adequate market research to determine how many companies could meet the tender’s mandatory technical requirements.

He raised concerns about Miru Systems’ record in other countries, citing alleged problems involving election technology supplied in the Democratic Republic of Congo, the Philippines and Iraq’s Kurdistan region.

“This company should be banned and never allowed to manage any election or supply its equipment and technology,” he said.

Gachagua warned that changing Kenya’s election management technology less than a year before the 2027 polls could undermine public confidence in the electoral process.

“Vulnerable and defective electoral voting technology threatens electoral transparency and the credibility of an electoral process,” he said.

He further claimed that replacing the existing election technology with Miru’s system could expose the voter register to manipulation during the transfer of data.

“The real mischief of IEBC is to interfere with the voter register during the transfer of data from the Smartmatic KIEMS kits to the Miru Technologies Kits,” Gachagua claimed.

He alleged that such a move could result in voter suppression and manipulation of the 2027 election.

Gachagua’s allegations had not been independently substantiated as of Wednesday, while the procurement process remains open ahead of the September 1 deadline.

IEBC’s separate tender for ballot papers, tactile folders, the Register of Voters and statutory election result declaration forms is also scheduled to close on September 1, but at noon.

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Gachagua made the allegations on Monday, August 24, 2026, as he concluded his 56-day political consultations at his Wamunyoro residence in Nyeri.

The Democracy for Citizens Party (DCP) leader alleged that some IEBC officials were pushing for the procurement of an election results transmission system from a South Korean firm, which he identified as Miru System Company Limited.

“We know they want to do some monkey business. There is a game being played there by the vice chair, who was an official of ODM; she is very close to Hassan Joho,” Gachagua alleged.

He claimed the IEBC vice chairperson, the commission’s chairperson Erastus Ethekon and Mining and Blue Economy Cabinet Secretary Hassan Joho had links to the company.

“She, the chairman, and Joho have come up with a company called Miru System Company Limited from Korea. They made specs for this tender, tailor-made for this company,” he said.

Gachagua further alleged that the company had a poor record in previous elections where it had participated.

“In all the elections it has participated in, there was failure. We cannot accept this company; it is being pushed by the vice chair of IEBC together with Ethekon,” he said.

He also claimed the government had bought a house in Karen for Ethekon, suggesting that the alleged arrangement was part of a wider attempt to influence the electoral commission.

The allegations come as IEBC continues preparations for the August 2027 General Election, including procurement of technology and other systems that will be used in managing the polls and transmitting results.

Gachagua warned that Kenyans should closely monitor the commission’s procurement processes, arguing that the credibility of the election would depend not only on voting but also on the systems used to transmit and manage results.

He said he would continue investigating the information available to him before making further disclosures.

Gachagua also revisited his fallout with President William Ruto, linking the deterioration of their relationship to the government’s response to the 2024 Gen Z protests.

He claimed his differences with Ruto became irreconcilable after he opposed what he described as instructions to use extreme measures against young protesters.

“When the issue of young people came and he gave instructions that they should be abducted, tortured and, if possible, killed. I said no. I said it is against the 10 commandments: thou shalt not kill,” Gachagua said.

The former Deputy President said he travelled to Mombasa following Ruto’s June 25, 2024 address in which the President condemned the protests.

“I took a plane and went to Mombasa… The following day, I called for a press conference; I said I did not agree with the decision,” he said.

Gachagua claimed Ruto later called him, abused him and warned him that he would face consequences.

He challenged Gen Z to move beyond criticism of the government on social media and take part in the electoral process ahead of the 2027 polls.

“Criticizing William Ruto on smartphones is not enough, shouting one term is not enough… You must go the extra mile,” he said.

“We do not want to remove Ruto through unconstitutional means; we want him to be around; we want to defeat him at the ballot. People must register as voters and come out and vote.”

Gachagua also launched a fresh attack on Deputy President Kithure Kindiki, accusing him of following Ruto’s instructions during the Gen Z protests.

He recalled a telephone conversation he claimed to have had with Kindiki over the government’s response to the demonstrations.

“I called Kindiki; that is why I have very little regard for that man. I said, what you are being told to do, is it right? Is it biblical, is it in accordance with the Constitution?” Gachagua said.

According to Gachagua, Kindiki responded: “Mimi ni lazima nifanye vile rais amesema.”

Gachagua said he then asked Kindiki whether that included abducting and killing young people.

“Akisema sasa kama rais amesema, mimi nitafanya nini? If he refused and I refused, the two of us, probably those boys and girls, would not have died,” he claimed.

Gachagua has previously accused Kindiki of allowing himself to be used by Ruto to divide the Mt Kenya region, deepening the political rivalry between the two leaders.

Gachagua maintained that he would not enter into a political deal with Ruto ahead of the 2027 elections.

“I cannot take his money. He cannot bribe me. He cannot intimidate me,” he said.

He reiterated his commitment to ensuring that Ruto serves only one term and urged Kenyans opposed to the administration to focus on defeating the President at the ballot.

The conclusion of the Wamunyoro consultations marks a new phase in Gachagua’s political mobilisation.

He is scheduled to travel to the United States on Wednesday with his wife, Pastor Dorcas Gachagua, for what he has described as a period of solitude and consultations with Kenyans in the diaspora.

His latest claims on IEBC, coupled with his renewed attacks on Ruto and Kindiki, are likely to intensify the political debate over the credibility of the 2027 election and the battle for Kenya’s next government.

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The countdown to Kenya’s next General Election has entered a new phase after the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) formally commenced the election period through a Gazette Notice setting out the roadmap to the August 10, 2027 polls.

Gazette Notice No. 13497, published in Kenya Gazette Vol. CXXVIII–No. 144 on August 20, 2026, formally brought the Electoral Code of Conduct and the Election Offences Act into force for the election period.

The notice effectively moves the country from political positioning to a legally defined electoral timetable, with parties, prospective candidates and other stakeholders now required to work within a series of deadlines stretching from October this year to the eve of the polls.

The 2027 General Election will be held on Tuesday, August 10, 2027, when Kenyans will elect the President, Members of the National Assembly, Senators, Governors, County Woman Representatives and Members of County Assemblies.

One of the earliest deadlines falls on October 15, 2026, when political parties intending to participate in the election must notify the IEBC by submitting the names of authorised persons and their specimen signatures.

The requirement is expected to trigger heightened activity within political parties as they begin positioning themselves for nominations and the wider electoral contest.

By October 30, 2026, political parties must have their nomination rules certified by the Registrar of Political Parties.

The certified nomination rules must subsequently be submitted to the IEBC by November 6, 2026.

The deadlines place political parties under pressure to complete their internal preparations early, particularly as nominations are expected to be among the most contentious stages of the electoral cycle.

The election calendar also sets a critical deadline for public officers planning to enter the political contest.

Public officers seeking elective positions will be required to resign from public office by February 10, 2027, six months before Election Day.

The requirement means senior government officials, State officers and other public servants contemplating a political career will have to make their decisions early next year.

Political parties will also face another crucial phase in early 2027 as they prepare their membership registers ahead of nominations.

The IEBC calendar provides timelines for parties to submit their membership lists and details relating to their internal party primaries.

Available reporting on the gazetted calendar places the submission of party membership lists to the IEBC on March 16, 2027, while the Registrar of Political Parties is expected to certify the lists before submission.

The membership lists will be critical because they will form the basis for determining who is eligible to participate in party primaries.

The process is likely to become a major political battleground as competing factions seek control of party structures ahead of nominations.

The calendar gives political parties until May 8, 2027, to conclude their primaries and resolve resulting internal disputes.

Independent candidates will also have until the same date to meet requirements, including demonstrating that they are not members of a registered political party and submitting their names and symbols to the IEBC.

For presidential aspirants, another demanding requirement comes on May 24, 2027, when they must submit a list containing the names, signatures and identification details of at least 2,000 registered voters from a majority of Kenya’s counties.

The formal registration of candidates will begin on May 29, 2027, with different elective positions allocated specific registration windows.

Presidential candidates will be registered between May 29 and June 11.

National Assembly candidates will be registered between May 29 and June 1, while Senate candidates will have their registration window between May 29 and June 2.

Governors will be registered between June 3 and June 6, while County Assembly candidates will be registered between June 2 and June 11.

Candidates for the position of County Woman Representative will be registered between June 7 and June 11.

The commission has also set a strict timeline for disputes arising from nominations.

Such disputes must be lodged within 24 hours of the occurrence and, in any event, not later than June 12, 2027.

The IEBC is expected to conclude the resolution of nomination disputes by June 23, 2027.

The gazetted calendar also draws a line between political mobilisation and lawful campaigning.

The official campaign period will commence on May 29, 2027, and end on August 7, 2027, three days before Kenyans head to the ballot.

IEBC has warned political actors against campaigning outside the prescribed period, including the use of posters, billboards, caravans and other campaign activities.

The warning is significant given the tendency of political actors to begin positioning themselves years before an election, with political rallies, alliances and grassroots mobilisation often taking place long before the formal campaign period.

With the election period formally commenced, the Election Offences Act and the Electoral Code of Conduct now provide the legal framework governing the conduct of political actors and other participants.

The law targets conduct that could undermine the integrity of the electoral process, including bribery, violence, intimidation, multiple voting and interference with election processes.

The Electoral Code of Conduct also provides for sanctions against participants who breach its provisions.

These include warnings, fines, restrictions relating to public media allocated for electoral purposes and restrictions on public meetings, demonstrations or marches.

The commission has separately warned political actors against unauthorised use of the IEBC logo on campaign materials.

The electoral body said such use could create the impression that the commission has endorsed a candidate, party or political activity, undermining its independence and non-partisan role.

Those using the logo without authorisation have been directed to remove the offending materials.

Beyond political parties and candidates, IEBC says the credibility of the 2027 election will depend heavily on the quality of the voters’ register.

IEBC Chairperson Erastus Edung Ethekon has described a clean, accurate and verifiable register as the foundation of a credible election.

The commission said Continuous Voter Registration, which began on September 29, 2025, remains ongoing, allowing eligible Kenyans to register, transfer their registration and update their particulars.

As of August 20, 2026, IEBC said 2,936,516 Kenyans had registered as voters through the ongoing exercise, while the commission projects a 2027 register of approximately 28.5 million voters.

The commission is also expanding voter registration for Kenyans living abroad, with the number of countries targeted for diaspora registration increasing from 12 to 26.

The 2027 contest will also be governed by campaign-financing rules.

IEBC has already gazetted the Election Campaign Financing Regulations 2026 and contribution and spending limits for the 2027 General Election.

The framework regulates contributions, expenditure, record-keeping, disclosure, reporting and accountability by political parties, candidates, campaign teams and donors.

The gazettement comes against the backdrop of an unresolved legal debate over the constitutional timing of the next presidential election.

IEBC acknowledged the judgment in the Malindi High Court case in which the court considered the interpretation of Article 136(2)(a) of the Constitution and held that the presidential election was constitutionally due on August 11, 2026.

However, the court suspended the effect of its decision until the next General Election scheduled for August 10, 2027.

IEBC said the matter remains subject to applicable appellate and constitutional processes.

The commission has nevertheless continued preparations for the 2027 polls and has formally placed the electoral process on the timetable contained in the Gazette.

With the publication of Gazette Notice No. 13497, the 2027 election is no longer simply a political projection on the horizon.

For political parties, the first major test comes in October, followed by a succession of deadlines covering party rules, membership lists, nominations, candidate registration and campaigns.

For aspirants, the calendar offers a clear timetable, and little room for missed deadlines.

For voters, the message from IEBC is equally significant: registration and verification of voter details should be completed early, while political actors and their supporters are expected to conduct themselves within the law.

The road to August 10, 2027, has officially begun.

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In a press release issued on Saturday, August 8, IEBC said the gazettement of the Election Campaign Financing Regulations, 2026 and the Contribution and Spending Limits marks a major step towards regulating how money is raised and spent during the next election.

“The gazettement marks a significant milestone in the discharge of the Commission’s constitutional mandate,” IEBC said, adding that the framework is aimed at regulating campaign financing and the amount of money that may be spent by or on behalf of candidates and political parties.

The electoral commission said the new framework follows a High Court decision in Constitutional Petition No. E540 of 2021, consolidated with E546 of 2021, involving Katiba Institute and other petitioners against the IEBC and others.

The case challenged, among other issues, Parliament’s revocation of provisions relating to campaign financing after contribution and spending limits were published on August 9, 2021.

According to the commission, the court directed IEBC to develop the required regulations, subject them to public participation and establish the framework for setting contribution and spending limits under the Election Campaign Financing Act, 2013.

IEBC said it subsequently carried out public participation through newspaper and electronic media notices, county-cluster forums and targeted engagements involving political parties, aspiring candidates, civil society groups, State actors, marginalised groups, development partners and other stakeholders.

The consultations were held under the theme: “Campaign Finance Regulation in Kenya: A Constitutional Framework for Transparency, Political Equality, Accountability and Electoral Integrity.”

“The views, proposals and recommendations received through the public participation and stakeholder engagement process were carefully considered and, where appropriate, incorporated into the final instruments,” the commission said.

With the instruments now published in the Kenya Gazette, IEBC said they constitute the applicable regulatory framework for campaign financing in the forthcoming General Election.

“The gazettement marks the transition from regulatory development and consultation to implementation and enforcement,” the commission said.

The regulations establish rules for the regulation and disclosure of campaign contributions and expenditure, record-keeping, reporting, auditing, monitoring, compliance and enforcement.

Meanwhile, the contribution and spending limits prescribe ceilings on the amount candidates and political parties can spend on campaigns.

IEBC has now put political parties, candidates, campaign teams and supporting persons or organisations on notice, requiring them to familiarise themselves with the new legal requirements and take measures to ensure compliance.

The commission said it will exercise its mandate through “monitoring, verification, audit, investigation and enforcement” in accordance with the Constitution, the Election Campaign Financing Act and the new regulations.

It said the regulation of campaign financing is intended to safeguard the integrity of electoral competition and promote a level playing field.

According to IEBC, the prescribed limits are designed to ensure that financial resources do not disproportionately determine political participation, access to voters or electoral competition.

“All political parties, candidates, campaign teams, donors and other regulated persons are required to comply with the regulations and limits, including requirements on contributions, expenditure, record-keeping, disclosure, reporting and accountability”the election body says.

IEBC Chairperson Erastus Edung Ethekon said the framework is now in place and warned that all regulated persons must take immediate steps to ensure full and timely compliance.

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Acting CEO Moses Sunkuli has formally asked the Justice and Legal Affairs Committee (JLAC) to set aside Sh59.38 million to conduct a by-election in Emurua Dikirr Constituency, the seat left vacant by the death of three-term Member of Parliament Johana Ng’eno Kipyegon.

Ng’eno perished in a helicopter crash in Mosop, Nandi County, on February 28, alongside five others.

The crash sent shockwaves across the country and triggered an outpouring of grief from constituents, fellow legislators, and political leaders alike.

But even as the nation mourns, the wheels of democracy must turn.

The Catch? No Writ, No Budget

Sunkuli noted that the commission is yet to receive a writ to hold the poll, and the Sh59.38 million allocation falls outside the current supplementary estimates, meaning the money hasn’t been formally budgeted for, and IEBC is essentially asking Parliament to find it from somewhere.

The timing adds another layer of complexity. The commission is already drowning in financial pressure.

Sunkuli told the committee that IEBC is sitting on pending bills of Sh4.99 billion, the bulk of which, Sh4.27 billion, are legal claims stemming from past elections, including the 2022 presidential petition, which alone accounts for Sh517.28 million.

“Note the pending bills and assist in securing additional budgetary allocation to facilitate settlement of the outstanding pending bills,” Sunkuli urged lawmakers.

The by-election isn’t just a political formality, it’s a fight to fill the shoes of a man who essentially built the constituency from the ground up.

Ng’eno first entered Parliament in 2013, representing Emurua Dikirr, a region whose interests he championed through decades of fighting neglect and structural inequality.

He went on to win in 2017 and again in 2022, becoming the only MP the constituency had ever known.

Speaker Moses Wetang’ula described him as a devoted legislator, a mentor, and a servant leader who always put his people first.

With 44,447 registered voters across four wards, Ilkerin, Mogondo, Kapsasian, and Ololmasani, the Narok County constituency covers 320.50 square kilometres of agriculturally rich but infrastructurally underserved land.

Whoever wins the seat will inherit both a legacy and a long list of unfinished battles.

The National Assembly must issue a by-election writ before IEBC can formally swing into action.

Once that happens, the clock starts ticking, and so does the spending.

The Sh59.38 million request signals that the commission is preparing now, even before the green light comes through.

For the people of Emurua Dikirr, who are still mourning their Ngong, the coming weeks will mark the beginning of a new and uncertain political chapter.

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The announcement, made Wednesday from the Commission’s Nairobi headquarters, marks a significant leadership transition for Kenya’s electoral body just over a year before the 2027 General Elections.

Mr. Marjan, who joined the IEBC as CEO and Commission Secretary in March 2022, will formally exit the position as the Commission begins recruiting his successor.

“This, in effect, brings to an end his tenure in IEBC and marks the beginning of the process of recruitment of a new CEO and Secretary to the Commission,” the IEBC stated in an official press release.

The Commission did not disclose specific reasons for the mutual separation but emphasized that the transition would be managed carefully to ensure continuity.

The electoral body announced that an interim replacement would be named shortly to maintain operational stability during the transition period.

“The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission will announce an interim replacement who will take over as Acting CEO/CS in due course,” according to the statement signed by IEBC Chairperson Erastus Edung Ethekon, HSC.

The Commission praised Mr. Marjan’s leadership during a particularly challenging chapter in IEBC’s history, when the body operated without a full complement of commissioners.

“We particularly thank him for steering the Commission Secretariat during the period of absence of the Commissioners until when the current Commission was fully constituted on 11th July 2025,” the IEBC stated.

The Commission described the outgoing CEO as “a committed servant” who “offered his professional services and leadership to IEBC” throughout his tenure.

Coinciding with the leadership change, the IEBC announced plans for “critical reforms within the Secretariat” aimed at strengthening institutional capacity ahead of the 2027 polls.

“We wish to assure Kenyans that any changes will be designed to ensure we achieve effective institutional preparedness, strengthen our internal accountability and results oriented systems, and leadership continuity,” the Commission stated.

The electoral body emphasized its commitment to maintaining high standards in electoral management.

“The IEBC Secretariat is very crucial in service delivery on electoral management and related matters and it is the intention of the Commission that it has to reflect the level of preparedness, passion and commitment to delivering credible, free and fair elections in Kenya,” the statement read.

Despite the high-level departure, the IEBC moved swiftly to assure stakeholders that ongoing electoral activities would not be disrupted.

“The Commission assures the people of Kenya and stakeholders that the changes within its Secretariat and management arrangements will not affect our ongoing activities including the conduct of the by-elections and preparedness for the 2027 General Elections,” according to the official statement.

The Commission framed the changes as positive steps toward improved service delivery.

“Instead, we believe the changes are meant to enhance effectiveness, efficiency, transparency and accountability of the Secretariat in service delivery to the people of Kenya,” the IEBC concluded.

As Mr. Marjan prepares to leave, the Commission extended its well wishes: “The Commission wishes the former CEO/CS well in his future endeavors.”

The search for a new CEO and Commission Secretary now begins at a critical juncture, with less than 18 months remaining before Kenyans head to the polls in 2027.

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The resignation this evening comes at a critical juncture for the electoral body, which has been operating under intense scrutiny following recent constitutional and operational challenges.

Marjan, who has been at the helm of the commission’s secretariat, tendered his resignation letter earlier today, though the specific reasons for his departure have not been immediately disclosed.

The IEBC has yet to release an official statement regarding the resignation or announce interim leadership arrangements.

This development raises urgent questions about the commission’s operational capacity and continuity, particularly as Kenya’s electoral framework faces ongoing reform discussions.

The timing of Marjan’s exit could have significant implications for the commission’s ability to prepare for future electoral cycles and maintain public confidence in the electoral process.

More to follow

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In a statement released Wednesday, IEBC Chairperson Erastus Edung Ethekon said the Commission has concluded all key preparatory steps, including the recruitment, training, and deployment of polling officials, administering the oath of secrecy, briefing stakeholders, and dispatching election materials including ballot papers and Kenya Integrated Election Management System (KIEMS) kits.

“All ballot paper pallets have been opened today in the presence of accredited stakeholders to uphold transparency and accountability. We are ready to deliver free, fair, and credible by-elections,” said Mr. Ethekon.

The Commission highlighted key polling day activities, including biometric identification of voters using KIEMS kits, with the certified 2022 Register of Voters displayed at all stations for public verification.

Polling stations will close at 5:00 p.m., but all voters in the queue by closing time will be allowed to cast their ballots.

“We urge all voters to follow instructions issued by polling officials to facilitate an orderly voting process,” said the statement.

The IEBC also emphasized the secrecy of the ballot, cautioning against taking pictures of ballot papers, which is punishable by law.

However, photographs of duly certified result forms are allowed once the declaration process is complete.

Stakeholder cooperation is critical, according to the Commission.

Party agents, observers, and media personnel are asked to respect the authority of presiding officers, report complaints with evidence, and avoid disrupting polling or tallying processes.

“Presiding Officers will remain fully in charge at polling stations, and all accredited stakeholders must support them to ensure a smooth voting and counting process,” the IEBC statement reads.

At tallying centers, only accredited personnel with identification and badges will be allowed to observe results tabulation.

Senior party leaders and officials wishing to witness tallying must cooperate with officials and security to prevent disruptions.

Following the close of polling, presiding officers will count ballots and tabulate results in full view of agents, observers, and the media, with copies of results forms displayed publicly.

Returning officers will then verify, collate, and announce constituency-level results.

The public can also access results online via the IEBC portal: https://forms.iebc.or.ke
.

Security arrangements have been strengthened, with the National Police Service deploying personnel to polling stations, tallying centers, and strategic locations. Each station will have a minimum of two security officers, with additional rapid response teams on standby.

“Voters are assured of a secure and peaceful environment. Any incidents should be reported through the appropriate security channels,” the Commission said.

The IEBC also reminded polling officials and the media to uphold integrity and professionalism throughout the exercise.

“To all voters in the 22 by-election areas: your participation matters. We encourage peaceful turnout and adherence to the law. Let us draw inspiration from Article 1 of the Constitution, which vests sovereign power in the people,” Mr. Ethekon concluded.

With all preparations in place, the IEBC reiterates its commitment to delivering credible by-elections that reflect the will of the people, urging Kenyans to participate responsibly and uphold peace during and after the vote.

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Sunguti, a seasoned politician and former deputy governor aspirant in the 2022 Kakamega gubernatorial race alongside Michael Osundwa, confirmed his withdrawal saying he lacked the financial muscle to compete with what he described as “government-backed candidates.”

“I have made a difficult but honest decision to withdraw from the Malava parliamentary race. The contest has become highly monetized, and as a grassroots leader without state backing, I cannot match the financial resources being poured into this election,” Sunguti said in a statement released to the media.

The 61-year-old politician, who hails from the Abatobo clan, the same clan as DAP-K candidate Seth Panyako, hinted that he may consider rallying behind Panyako in the coming weeks, though he stopped short of making a formal endorsement.

“I share a cultural bond and community connection with Mr. Panyako. As a son of the Abatobo, I will consult widely with elders and supporters before making any decision on whom to support. What matters most is that Malava gets a leader who truly represents its people,” he stated.

Sunguti added that he had officially notified both the Roots Party and the IEBC of his withdrawal, saying his decision was made “in the best interest of democracy and transparency.”

However, confusion clouded his withdrawal after a separate letter purportedly from the Roots Party surfaced online, indicating that the party had revoked his nomination certificate even before he formally announced his exit.

In the letter, allegedly signed by a senior party official, the Roots Party said it had “resolved to withdraw the nomination of Mr. Caleb Sunguti as the party’s candidate in the Malava by-election”, citing internal consultations and realignment of strategy.

Party sources, speaking anonymously, suggested that the decision was made amid growing divisions within the Roots Party’s Kakamega branch, with some members pushing for alliances with smaller parties to consolidate votes against dominant national coalitions.

Neither Roots Party leader George Wajackoyah nor the national election board officials had issued a formal clarification by press time

Sunguti, who previously served as a civic leader and education advocate in Kakamega County, was thrust into the limelight during the 2022 general election when he ran as Michael Osundwa’s running mate on a Roots Party ticket.

Despite losing, he remained active in grassroots mobilization and local development forums.

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