COTU Secretary-General Francis Atwoli has urged former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua and other political leaders to exercise restraint in their comments on the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC).
He warned that unsubstantiated allegations could undermine confidence in the electoral process ahead of the 2027 General Election.
In a statement on Thursday, Atwoli said the Central Organisation of Trade Unions (COTU-K) was concerned by allegations Gachagua made regarding the procurement of the Integrated Elections Management System (IEMS).
Atwoli cautioned against making allegations without presenting supporting evidence.
“COTU (K) wishes to caution Rigathi Gachagua against his proof by assertion fallacy that might ultimately plunge this country into violence and thus affect the livelihoods of workers, women and children,” Atwoli said.
He said the union was concerned that continued attacks on the credibility of the electoral commission could contribute to political tensions and potentially lay the groundwork for disputes over the outcome of the 2027 General Election.
“COTU (K) is particularly concerned that these statements appear capable of laying the political foundation for rejecting the outcome of the 2027 General Election in advance, especially if Gachagua continuously attacks the credibility of an independent commission without any evidence,” he said.
Atwoli stressed that the IEBC is an independent constitutional commission and said concerns over its procurement processes should be addressed through the institutions and legal procedures provided for under Kenyan law.
“Where there are legitimate questions concerning procurement, the Constitution and our laws provide institutions, procedures and remedies through which such concerns can be raised and determined,” he said.
The COTU boss also questioned Gachagua's stated preference for Smartmatic as an election technology provider, saying the former Deputy President should explain the basis for his position.
“Having accused IEBC of allegedly designing a procurement process around a preferred company, Gachagua must explain to Kenyans why he himself appears to be prescribing another private company as his preferred election technology provider,” Atwoli said.
He said Gachagua should clarify the basis on which he had concluded that Smartmatic was the company the IEBC ought to retain.
Atwoli said COTU's concerns were informed by the potential consequences of electoral and political violence, which he said would disproportionately affect ordinary Kenyans.
“If Kenya plunges into tribal and electoral violence and conflicts, it is workers, women, and children who will suffer the most,” he said.
Atwoli called on Gachagua and other political leaders to exercise restraint as the country moves towards the 2027 General Election.
“We therefore call upon Gachagua and all political leaders to exercise restraint as the country approaches the 2027 General Election, for the sake of peace and stability of our beloved country,” he said.
Atwoli's remarks come after the DCP leader alleged that the tender process had been predetermined in favour of one company, despite the procurement process still being underway.
Gachagua further urged the IEBC to retain the company currently associated with Kenya’s current KIEMS technology, arguing that changing providers could raise concerns about the management and security of electoral data.
