Senator Okiya Omtatah Sues IEBC Over Ballot Paper Security Changes

Busia Senator Okiya Omtatah Okoiti, leader of the National Reconstruction Alliance (NRA) Party, has filed an urgent application in the High Court challenging the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission’s (IEBC) recent relaxation of ballot paper security specifications ahead of the 2027 General Election.

The suit targets changes introduced in Addendum No. 3/Clarifications dated September 17, 2026 to Tender No. IEBC/OIT/02/2026-2027, which the commission advertised on August 11, 2026 for the supply of ballot papers and other electoral materials.

The addendum permits printers to use single-colour black serial numbers instead of multi-coloured ones, to replace variable guilloche patterns and variable micro-text with static designs, and to substitute metallic foil stamping with blind embossing that omits metallic foil; watermarks, ultraviolet security elements and anti-duplication QR codes remain mandatory.

Omtatah argued that the cumulative effect of these alterations has not been demonstrated to preserve an equivalent or superior level of protection, raising constitutional questions under Articles 38, 81 and 86 which require elections to be free, fair, secure, accurate, transparent and verifiable.

In his press briefing he said the party is not claiming the changes automatically make ballot papers insecure nor that the commission intends to facilitate electoral malpractice, but that preventive accountability is needed before decisions become irreversible.

The senator is asking Justice David Mburu of the High Court to preserve the original security specifications and to order an independent technical assessment before the revised requirements can be implemented.

The NRA said the respondents were served as directed and given seven days to respond, with the deadline falling on October 13, 2026; no response had been received at the time of the briefing. A further mention is scheduled for October 14, 2026 to consider the party’s request for conservatory orders.

Omtatah reiterated that cost savings must not undermine constitutional obligations and urged the IEBC to provide credible technical evidence showing that the modified specifications adequately protect the integrity of ballot papers.