The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) has resolved to use direct procurement of ballot papers to meet the set deadline ahead of August 8 General Election.
Commission chairman Wafula Chebukati said the tender has been awarded to Dubai based company, Ghurair Printing and Publishing LLC, following a number of challenges in relation to procurement.
Speaking during a stakeholders’ briefing on the audit of the register of voters and testing of electoral technology in Nairobi yesterday, Chebukati pointed out that the commission projects to print about 120 million ballot papers together with elections results forms and poll registers.
He noted that the prices offered by the printing firm in the previous contracts were competitive and within the prevailing market rates.
“Having considered a number of available options, the commission resolved to award the tender to the company to allow the printers to mobilize resources and put in place logistical measures for efficient delivery of ballot papers,” he said.
Some of the reasons IEBC cited to have favoured Ghurair Printing and Publishing include the capacity of modern machines whereby 50 per cent of machine capacity have been allocated for production of ballot papers with adequate back-ups.