On Monday, Gachagua claimed that some officers were pressured to appear before the tender review committee to provide evidence in support of the disputed procurement.
He alleged that those who declined to back the tender were subsequently intimidated and moved from their positions, some transferred outside Nairobi.
“IEBC commissioners tried to force officials in the Directorate of Supply Chain Management and the Directorate of Electoral Management to own the specifications in defence of the commission in the case filed before the Public Procurement Administrative Review Board challenging the skewed procurement in favour of MIRU Systems,” Gachagua alleged.
The commission was forced to halt the tendering process after the matter was challenged before the Public Procurement Administrative Review Board.
Gachagua had last week claimed that IEBC was planning to award the lucrative tender to a South Korean farm, MIRU Systems Technology.
In a statement yesterday, the former Deputy President claimed officers who have refused to testify in favour of the bidder are being transferred.
“The officials have firmly refused to give false testimony to facilitate corruption and electoral fraud,” Gachagua said.
“Consequently, the chairman and the vice chhair have victimised officials in the two departments and transferred all of them, except the compromised head of department, to far-flung counties and replaced them with cronies.”
The claims come amid a fresh reshuffle at the electoral commission, with a number of staff members transferred or re-designated as the IEBC prepares for the 2027 general election.
In a memo seen by the Star, the commission moved 24 officers to various departments including the supply chain management.
The changes also saw staff moved from departments of voter education, voter registration, county offices as well as the elections operations department.
“The commission wishes to inform all staff of the following changes affecting various staff, changes comprise of various transfers and re-designations, as communicated to the respective staff through individual letters dated 10th August, 2026,” IEBC said in a memo dated August 12.
The memo was signed by acting CEO Ruth Kulundu. The commission did not however respond to numerous inquiries by press time.
Gachagua said the staff changes warrant scrutiny because some of the affected officials are linked to departments involved in procurement and electoral technology.
The former deputy president warned against last minute changes to the election’s technology saying it is part of the government scheme to interfere with the 2027 polls.
“There is real and genuine fear that the change of the election management system at this late hour is a scheme to interfere with the voters' register, mostly in areas where President William Ruto has been openly rejected,” he said.
He called on the electoral agency to consider calling off the tender and instead upgrade the current system to address the few shortcomings identified so far.
On Sunday, Deputy President Kithure Kindiki and Interior CS Kipchumba Murkomen told off Gachagua over attacks on the commission. They, instead, challenged him to sell his policies to Kenyans.
Speaking during a thanksgiving service at Kipsamoo in Kapseret constituency, Uasin Gishu county, the leaders said politicians seeking to challenge President Ruto should focus on convincing voters that they have better ideas to run the country rather than undermining electoral institutions.
Kindiki said the government would not allow politicians to create unnecessary tension around the electoral process or interfere with institutions mandated to oversee elections.
“IEBC does not vote, sell your manifesto to Kenyans and stop attacking the commission,” Kindiki said.
INSTANT ANALYSIS
Gachagua’s has renewed his attack on the IEBC technology tender. His focus is on procurement transparency, staff transfers and the integrity of preparations for the 2027 polls. His allegations, coming amid an ongoing tender dispute and internal reshuffle, could deepen political suspicion around the electoral body. However, without evidence to substantiate the claims, the confrontation risks further undermining public confidence in IEBC. It would also intensify an already charged political environment.
