IEBC opens Sh2billion-plus election procurement as 2027 polls loom

The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) has opened a major procurement drive for the 2027 General Election, setting in motion the acquisition of critical election technology and materials as the electoral agency races against time to prepare for the next polls.

With barely a year to the August 2027 elections, IEBC has advertised two international tenders for an Integrated Elections Management System (IEMS), associated hardware and accessories, as well as ballot papers, tactile folders, the Register of Voters and statutory election result declaration forms.

The move marks a critical stage in preparations for an election expected to be intensely contested, putting the commission under pressure to complete procurement early enough to allow installation, testing and correction of any weaknesses before polling day.

But the new tenders also reopen uncomfortable questions about IEBC’s procurement record, particularly the controversies that dogged preparations for the 2017 elections, when the commission faced accusations and audit queries over inflated contracts, delayed supplies, unused equipment and questionable procurement decisions.

The latest procurement will therefore be closely watched by political parties, election observers, suppliers and other stakeholders keen to establish whether lessons have been learnt from previous election cycles.

Under the first tender, IEBC is seeking a contractor to supply, install, test, commission, support and maintain the IEMS and its associated hardware and accessories. The procurement has been opened to qualified local and international companies through an open competitive international process.

A Sh30 million tender security has been set for bidders, with the guarantee required to remain valid for 270 days after the bid submission deadline.

The commission will hold an online pre-bid conference on August 18 at 10am, while bids must be physically delivered to the IEBC Tender Box at Anniversary Towers in Nairobi by September 1 at 10am. Electronic submissions will not be accepted.

In a separate tender, the commission is seeking suppliers of ballot papers, tactile folders, the Register of Voters and statutory election result declaration forms.

The materials are to be supplied on an “as and when required” basis for three years, covering the 2027 election cycle and other electoral requirements during the contract period.

The second tender carries a Sh40 million security requirement, also valid for 270 days after the submission deadline. Its pre-bid conference is scheduled for August 17 at 10am, with bids due by noon on September 1.

The procurement of election technology is particularly significant because IEBC’s systems have remained one of the most contested elements of Kenya’s electoral process.

The commission must now ensure the new system is acquired early enough to allow comprehensive testing and integration, while addressing concerns over cybersecurity, transmission of results, data protection and reliability across the country.

The ballot materials are equally crucial. Ballot papers, statutory declaration forms and the voters’ register form the backbone of polling and results management, while tactile folders are intended to make voting more accessible to people with visual impairments.

The urgency is underscored by IEBC’s troubled procurement history.

The 2017 election preparations were marked by a series of procurement controversies that subsequently attracted scrutiny from auditors, courts and other oversight bodies.

One of the most contentious episodes involved the printing of presidential ballot papers by Dubai-based Al Ghurair Printing and Publishing LLC.

The contract passed through open tender, restricted tender and eventually direct procurement, while legal and administrative disputes surrounded the process.

An alternative South African supplier, Ren-Form CC, had indicated that it could produce and deliver presidential ballot papers within the available timeframe.

The controversy deepened after questions emerged over the number of ballot papers printed.

Then IEBC chairman the late Wafula Chebukati sought an explanation from the commission’s former chief executive Ezra Chiloba over the printing of more than 1.2 million additional presidential ballots instead of the 196,115 — one per cent — that had been authorised.

The Auditor General also reported discrepancies involving ballot papers issued from the IEBC warehouse, with falsified records in sampled counties resulting in a variance of 2,534,904 ballot papers that had not been accounted for.

The technology procurement was similarly controversial.

An audit found that IEBC acquired Sh127.6 million worth of data bundles but only 605.3GB, valued at about Sh515,269, had been used, leaving more than Sh127 million of the purchase unused or potentially misappropriated.

Other technology contracts also attracted scrutiny. An IBM infrastructure contract worth Sh425 million had been awarded despite an evaluation recommendation that the procurement cost Sh75 million.

An Oracle database and security solution was procured for Sh273 million against an internal requisition of Sh80 million, while some contracted components were not fully delivered.

IEBC also paid Sh249.3 million to Africa Neurotech Systems for data-centre equipment against a contract budget of Sh130 million, with the Auditor General reporting that payment was made before testing and commissioning and that the facility was not ready during the August election.

The problems extended to election equipment and supplies. Some satellite communication devices intended to support transmission from areas without adequate network coverage arrived after polling, while a subsequent procurement was made despite equipment already having been acquired for the election.

There were also questions over the cost of ballot boxes and security seals, with audits flagging inflated prices and delayed delivery.

It is against this backdrop that IEBC is now expected to demonstrate that the 2027 procurement will be transparent, competitive, timely and fully compliant with the law.

The commission has invited bidders to seek clarification within the prescribed timelines and warned that late submissions will be rejected.