Kenya IEBC electoral preparation legal challenges

The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) of Kenya is facing several legal and administrative challenges regarding preparations for the 2027 General Election.

In early September 2026, the Public Procurement Administrative Review Board ordered the IEBC to revise its Ksh6.5 billion tender for an Integrated Elections Management System (IEMS). The Board cited deficiencies in the tender document, including unclear technical evaluation criteria, lack of clarity regarding international arbitration frameworks for suppliers, and ambiguous provisions concerning hardware and technology ownership.

By late September 2026, legal scrutiny expanded to include constitutional duties and tallying procedures. The High Court was tasked with determining whether the IEBC fulfilled its mandate to review constituency and ward boundaries following the expiration of a review period in March 2024. Additionally, the High Court upheld the legality of the IEBC’s national tallying centre, ruling it necessary to verify presidential election thresholds, but barred the commission from altering results at the constituency level, stating that polling station-level results should prevail in the event of discrepancies.