IEBC has rejected Rigathi Gachagua's claims that politicians bought a house for its chairperson to influence 2027 polls, demanding he submit evidence to the EACC.
The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) has rejected allegations by Democracy for Citizens Party (DCP) leader Rigathi Gachagua that politicians purchased a house for IEBC Chairperson Erastus Edung Ethekon in a bid to influence the outcome of the 2027 General Election.
In a statement issued on Thursday, August 27, the commission described the claims — made by Gachagua during a press briefing the previous day — as unsubstantiated and said they were intended to undermine public confidence in the electoral body.
"The allegations that a house has been purchased for the Chairperson of IEBC by some politicians for purposes of influencing him are unfortunate, unfair and unsubstantiated to date," IEBC said.
The commission noted that the alleged value of the property had shifted in Gachagua's telling, from an initial Ksh80 million to Ksh200 million, and demanded that he submit evidence — including the property's location, sale and transfer documents, payment receipts, and details of the parties involved — to the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) for investigation.
Tender and Voter Register Claims Also Rejected
Beyond the house allegation, IEBC pushed back against a wider set of claims Gachagua raised, including suggestions that election technology procurement had already been predetermined in favor of a South Korean firm, that the voters' register was at risk of tampering, and that the commission was planning to suppress voters in certain regions.
The commission confirmed that two major tenders — for an Integrated Elections Management System (IEMS) with hardware and accessories, and for ballot papers and other election materials — had been temporarily halted following a request for review filed at the Public Procurement Administrative Review Board. It maintained, however, that no company had been awarded either tender and that the process remained at an early stage.
"The tender process for Tender No. IEBC/OIT/01/2026-2027 is open and transparent. All documents were uploaded on the IEBC website and PPIP on 11th August 2026," the commission said, directing members of the public to its website for the tender documents.
On the voter register, IEBC said it retains exclusive custody of the data and denied claims that voter information was being shared with external parties or that registration data was being tampered with during any systems migration.
IEBC urged political leaders to avoid sensational, unverified claims that it said risk eroding public trust in Kenya's electoral institutions ahead of the 2027 polls.
This report reflects claims and counter-claims made by the named parties. Don Sami Live has not independently verified the underlying property transaction allegations and will update this story as new information emerges.