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Former Deputy President (DP) Rigathi Gachagua has explained his involvement in the push for the removal of former Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) Chief Executive Officer Hussein Marjan.
Speaking on the matter during a press conference on Tuesday, February 10 2026, Gachagua said he and other opposition leaders formally engaged the IEBC and raised several concerns regarding the management of the electoral body.
“We went to the IEBC and raised various issues. We demanded the removal of the CEO, and we are grateful that he has since been removed,” Gachagua stated.
He further called for a transparent and open recruitment process for a new IEBC CEO, insisting that the process should be free from any state interference.
Gachagua Explains Role in Removal of Hussein Marjan
Additionally, Gachagua urged the IEBC to terminate contracts related to the election management system, particularly the Venezuelan technology, Smartmatic, whose contract he claimed was illegally extended by the outgoing CEO.
According to Gachagua, the contract extension was done at a time when there was no sitting commission, rendering the move illegal.
“That contract is illegal and should be terminated. The IEBC should advertise and acquire a modern, credible system for conducting our elections,” he said.
At the same time, the former Deputy President vowed that he and other opposition leaders would ensure President William Ruto serves only one term.
“President William Ruto is in shock and has panicked. The ‘WANTAM’ movement is real,” the former Deputy President said.
Former DP Vows to Block President Ruto’s Re-election
Gachagua argued that the Azimio coalition, with which he has currently partnered, lost the previous election because the Mt Kenya region did not fully support the coalition. He said that with the coalition now on his side, the political equation has changed.
“As we speak, the Mountain, Azimio, the United Opposition, and ODM B are united around the one-term agenda. We will secure 70 per cent plus one and make him a one-term president,” he said.
Also Read: Lawyer Nelson Havi Explains Why He Ditched Ruto for Gachagua
Gachagua’s remarks on the exit of the IEBC CEO come days after Hussein Marjan resigned as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Kenya’s Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC).
His resignation was announced on February 3, 2026, and took effect immediately. The IEBC described the move as a mutual agreement to terminate his services, according to a statement by Chairperson Erastus Ethekon.
Moses Ledama Sunkuli replaced Hussein Marjan as the Acting Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and Commission Secretary of the IEBC.
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IEBC Secretary/ CEO, Marjan Hussein Marjan, speaking during a validation and close-out workshop on IEBC HR instruments. PHOTO/IEBC X.
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