Inside IEBC’s 180M ballot papers plan as 2027 election tender hits fresh roadblock

The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) has put a halt to a major tender for ballot papers and election materials, amid a legal dispute less than a year before Kenya's 2027 General Election. Commission Secretary Ruth Kulundu announced the suspension following a request for review by Oilmax Ventures Limited at the Public Procurement Administrative Review Board (PPARB).

The tender, ID IEBC/OIT/02/2026–2027, covers ballot papers, tactile folders, voter registers, and declaration forms. Oilmax challenged specific requirements related to experience, financial capacity, and local content, claiming the conditions may limit competition to international suppliers. The case is currently at the High Court, pending a determination.

IEBC Chairperson Erastus Ethekon defended the procurement process, stating it is performance-based and aligned with previous elections, Supreme Court directives, and election official feedback. The procurement involves potentially 180 million ballot papers for 28.4 million registered voters and 55,000 polling stations. Security features include watermarks, UV-visible logos, anti-copy technology, guilloche patterns, micro-text, embossed features, unique QR codes, perforations, and tapered serial numbers.

The procurement dispute has added complexity to IEBC's logistical preparations for the 2027 election, which requires extensive printing, verification, transportation, and distribution of election materials.