The raging storm over the IEBC tender for the ballot papers took a new twist on Thursday after Jubilee Party officials emerged with claims that Opposition leader Raila Odinga had met representatives of a different company over the tender.
Jubilee Party secretary Raphael Tuju revealed that Odinga held a series of meetings with representatives of South African firm Paarl Media to discuss the tender.
Tuju accused the NASA leader of having a vested interest in the Ballot Printing Tender that was awarded to Dubai-based firm Al-Ghurair by the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC).
Speaking during a meeting convened between the electoral body and presidential aspirants, Tuju who represented President Uhuru Kenyatta disclosed that Odinga was acting for Paarl Media Limited that was disqualified for the tender.
Tuju also claimed that Odinga met representatives of the company in South Africa where they held discussions.
“We know that representatives of the firm met the NASA candidate five times,” Tuju said.
He stated that the Jubilee Party had no interest in the tender and was comfortable with any company getting the tender.
“We have said that give the tender to any firm. For us it is not the ballot papers that will vote, it is the people of Kenya,” the Jubilee Party boss.
In November last year, the South African-based firm appealed the decision to award the tender to Al-Ghurair but the Public Procurement Administrative Review Board dismissed the appeal.
