Muturi urges IEBC to fast-track ballot paper tender ahead of 2027 polls

Democratic Party of Kenya (DP) leader Justin Muturi has urged the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) to conclude its election-related procurement processes transparently and within the stipulated timelines, following the opening of six bids for electoral technology equipment.

Muturi said the commission should ensure a fair evaluation of the tenders for the Integrated Electoral Management System (IEMS), warning against attempts to derail the competitive procurement process and force the electoral agency into direct procurement.

He commended the IEBC for proceeding with the tender opening after previous challenges, including petitions before the Public Procurement Administrative Review Board (PPARB).

"We write to commend the Commission and its Secretariat for bringing this critical procurement to a successful tender opening on 22 October 2026," he stated.

The former Cabinet Secretary also called on the Commission to expedite other procurement processes ahead of the 2027 General Election, particularly the tender for ballot papers.

Six suppliers submitted bids for the supply, installation, testing, commissioning and maintenance of IEMS hardware and accessories, with prices ranging from Ksh.1.5 billion to Ksh.22.3 billion.

Greencom Enterprise Solutions submitted the lowest-priced bid at USD 11.5 million, equivalent to approximately Ksh.1.5 billion, followed by Laxton at USD 79.3 million (Ksh.10.3 billion).

China Hainergy New Energy Corporation quoted USD 96.2 million (Ksh.12.5 billion), while Miru submitted a bid of USD 107.8 million (Ksh.14.3 billion).

Smartmatic quoted USD 148 million (Ksh.19.3 billion), while Haitek Limited submitted the highest bid at USD 171.8 million (Ksh.22.3 billion).

Muturi cautioned that the prices announced during the opening should not be mistaken for the final evaluation ranking, noting that the successful bidder would be determined after the preliminary, technical and financial evaluation.

He urged the IEBC to publish the official tender-opening register to enable public scrutiny of the procurement process.

The former Attorney General further cautioned against attempts by interested parties to delay the process through review applications filed primarily to stall procurement, while acknowledging that bidders have a legal right to challenge procurement decisions.

He said the commission's best safeguard against such challenges was a thoroughly documented evaluation that applies the published criteria equally to all bidders.

“Having supplied the Commission before is not, by itself, a ground for direct procurement,” Muturi stated, arguing that the six bids demonstrated the existence of a competitive market for the required electoral technology.

He added that any decision to pursue direct procurement would have to meet the conditions set out under Sections 103 and 104 of the Public Procurement and Asset Disposal Act.

On the evaluation process, Muturi called on the IEBC to adhere to the requirements of Article 227(1) of the Constitution, which provides that public procurement must be fair, equitable, transparent, competitive and cost-effective.

He also urged the commission to ensure that any contract award remains within the approved budgetary allocation and that price is considered alongside the other eligibility and qualification requirements.

Among his other recommendations, Muturi asked the IEBC to maintain written records of evaluation findings, notify all bidders of the outcome simultaneously, observe the mandatory standstill period before signing a contract and ensure evaluation committee members declare any conflicts of interest.

He further called for verification of the technical specifications of the proposed equipment, particularly biometric devices and fingerprint sensors, against the samples submitted and requirements set out in the tender documents.

The IEMS is among the critical electoral technology systems the IEBC is procuring ahead of the 2027 General Election, with the process expected to support preparations for the next national vote.