IEBC Opens Tenders for Election Materials Ahead of 2027
The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission has begun the formal process of securing essential election equipment and materials in preparation for the 2027 general elections.
Through a recently published tender notice, the commission is inviting qualified bidders to supply, deliver, install, test, commission and maintain the Integrated Elections Management System, along with its associated hardware and accessories. The tender, referenced as IEBC/OIT/01/2026-2027, is scheduled to close on 1 September 2026 at 10 a.m. East African Time and is designed to support an expected electorate of approximately 28.5 million voters.
In its official invitation the commission stated: “The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) invites tenders from interested eligible bidders for the supply, delivery, installation, testing, commissioning, support and maintenance of the Integrated Elections Management System (IEMS), hardware equipment and accessories until 1st September, 2026 at 10am East African Time.” Parallel tenders have also been issued for the supply and delivery of ballot papers, tactile folders, the official register of voters and the statutory forms used to declare election results. These documents form the backbone of a transparent and verifiable voting process.
Ballot papers produced for elections in the country are manufactured to exceptionally high security standards, deliberately more intricate than currency notes. They incorporate more than eleven distinct security features intended to deter duplication, counterfeiting and any attempts at ballot stuffing. This elevated level of protection reflects the commission’s response to longstanding concerns about public trust in the electoral process among competing political groups.
Interested parties may obtain the full tender documents either in person from the commission’s Procurement office on the fifth floor of Anniversary Towers, room 514, during official working hours, or by downloading them free of charge from the IEBC website or the Public Procurement Information Portal. Anyone who downloads the documents is required to submit their contact details by email so that the commission can circulate clarifications and updates promptly. Completed bids must be sealed in plain envelopes and delivered either to the Commission Secretary’s office or placed in the designated tender box at Anniversary Towers before the stated deadline.
Bidders are further required to provide substantial bid securities of 30 million shillings for the elections management system tender and 40 million shillings for the ballot papers tender. These measures aim to ensure only serious and financially capable suppliers participate in the process. By initiating procurement well in advance, the electoral body is seeking to put in place reliable technology and secure materials that will underpin the integrity of the forthcoming national vote.
