Gemato S.A challenges IEBC decision to cancel Sh3 Billion tender

janet ndila

March 23, 2017 1:56 PM

International digital security firm Gemalto S.A. has challenged a decision by Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) to cancel

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International digital security firm Gemalto S.A. has challenged a decision by the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) to cancel a tender it had been awarded for the supply of a system for voter identification and results transmission during the August 8 election.

Last week on Wednesday, the electoral body announced that it had cancelled the tender due to time constraints and budgetary.

“Your financial bid was significantly above the budgetary provision. The commission considered that there would be no value for money to retain the voter registration component in KIEMS at present,” Mr Chiloba said.

However, the Gemalto S.A questioned why the electoral body failed to initiate negotiation as provided for in the constitution.

The firm also insisted that it would have provided the services required within the stipulated time.

“We also take the view, that the KIEMS (Kenya Integrated Elections Management Systems) project was a new obligation introduced by the Elections Laws Amendment Act 2016 subsequent to the 2016/17 budget cycle and perhaps a determinate budget provision would have been difficult.

“ Thus, a more persuasive reason would have been that provided under section 63(1)(d) where “there is evidence that prices of the bids are above market prices”,” the firm said in a letter.

The Opposition has been questioning if the electoral body was ready to oversee fair and credible elections considering the new developments.

New IEBC chairman, Wafula Chebukati has maintained that the electoral body is well prepared for the August 8 polls despite the persistent questions by Opposition leaders.

janet ndila