Amani National Congress party leader Musalia Mudavadi has asked the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (Iebc) to come clear on the pricing of the single sourcing of the electoral management system from a French based firm.
Musalia said the electoral body must explain to the country the specific considerations made before the decision was made. “They cancelled the tender. Iebc owes Kenyans an explanation. There are issues of integrity that must be challenged. Technology is an integral part of this election. How was the pricing arrived at?” Mudavadi posed.
The direct sourcing was preceded by flip-flops in the tendering process. Musalia spoke after attending a church service at House of Grace Church in Ongata Rongai.
Iebc awarded the lucrative contract to Safran Identity and Security to supply the electoral management system three days after formally cancelling the Sh3.8 billion tender awarded to Gemalto SA. Gemalto SA is also based in France.
Gemalto SA quoted Sh5.2 billion and was the only responsive firm. However, Iebc said theyhave Sh3.8billion budgetary allocation available.
Iebc chairman Wafula Chebukati said the decision to annul the tender was necessitated by the fact that Gemalto SA could not meet the commission’s legal timelines to manufacture, deliver, install and commission the system.
Also, 19 million voters have been registered using the bio-metric voter register. Musalai defended proposal by the National Super Alliance (Nasa) to set up a parallel tallying centre for the August 8 presidential poll results saying the electoral body must convince Kenyans the process will be free and fair.
Although Nasa principals; Raila Odinga (Orange Democratic Movement), Kalaonzo Musyoka (Wiper Party), Moses Wetangula (Ford Kenya) and Mudavadi are yet to divulge details of the center said to monitor electronic relaying of votes from all tallying centers to the national tallying center.
“The only way not to have a parallel process is for Iebc to convince kenyans that the election will not be stolen.” Musalia added. Deputy President William Ruto has already dismissed Nasa’s move to set up a parallel tallying center.