The axe has fallen at the IEBC, and it was swung with ruthless precision. Marjan Hussein Marjan’s exit is not a resignation; it is a purge.

In a dramatic boardroom showdown that could define the 2027 General Election, IEBC CEO Marjan Hussein Marjan has been forced out of office. The official line cites "mutual consent," but insider accounts paint a picture of a high-stakes power struggle led by the new Chairman, Erastus Ethekon. The tipping point? A controversial, unilateral extension of the contract with Smartmatic, the technology firm that managed the 2022 polls.

The Smartmatic Scandal

The core of the conflict lies in procurement. Sources reveal that Marjan quietly renewed Smartmatic’s contract for another two years without the full blessing of the newly constituted commission. This move infuriated the new commissioners, who viewed it as an attempt to lock the IEBC into a vendor that has been the subject of intense political litigation. Chairman Ethekon, seeking to assert his authority and cleanse the commission of the "old guard," used this procedural breach as the lever to eject Marjan.

The opposition has been baying for Marjan’s blood for months, accusing him of being the operational architect of their 2022 loss. His departure is a major victory for Azimio, who had made his removal a non-negotiable condition for trusting the electoral body. However, it also creates a dangerous vacuum at the heart of the secretariat just as election preparations should be ramping up.

• The Legal Gambit: Marjan reportedly attempted to negotiate a golden handshake, demanding full pay through the end of his contract in 2027. This demand backfired, hardening the commission’s resolve to terminate his tenure immediately.
• The Credibility Test: The focus now shifts to Chairman Ethekon. By ousting Marjan, he has signaled a break with the Chebukati era. But he must now prove that this was a move for integrity, not just a partisan purge to install a new set of gatekeepers.
• The Tech Dilemma: With Smartmatic’s contract now in limbo, the IEBC faces a race against time to procure and test new election technology. Any delay here spells disaster for 2027.

Cleaning House or Clearing the Deck?

Marjan’s exit exposes the deep fissures that still run through the electoral body. The "server" may have been opened, but the wounds have not healed. The secretariat is now demoralized and anxious, fearing a wider witch-hunt.

For the Kenyan voter, the question is simple: Will this changing of the guard lead to a more transparent election, or are we simply swapping one set of controversies for another? The credibility of the 2027 poll hangs in the balance, and the clock is ticking.