Former IEBC CEO Oswago Blames Ezra Chiloba Over Misuse of Funds

Former IEBC CEO James Oswago on Monday blamed embattled CEO Ezra Chiloba for paying Ksh250 million for the supply of additional electronic voter identification devices used in the 2013 general election.

Speaking during his appearance before the National Assembly Public Accounts Committee, Oswago stated that the commission anonymously agreed to procure 4,000 kits in addition to the 30,000 they had contracted.

Oswago maintained that the company delivered 34,600 kits instead of the agreed 30,000 which he declined to pay for.

The former IEBC CEO stated: "This was not paid under my tenure. Chiloba joined the commission and within three months he had paid."

[caption caption="Former IEBC commissioners James Oswago (left) and Issack Hassan (centre) "][/caption]

He added: "If I paid for the 4,600 additional kits, I would be in Kamiti prison. To date, there is no formal contract between the IEBC and the company for the delivery of those 4,600 additional kits."

Oswago was also expected to explain how, despite budgeting for 337 printers at Ksh654,000, only 290 printers were delivered at an inflated price of Ksh760,000 for the 2013 elections.

The former officials were also on the spot over the payment of Ksh40 million to lawyer Ahmednasir Abdullahi during the Supreme Court hearing of the 2013 presidential election petition.

Abdullahi’s payment was higher than that of the commission’s lead counsel, Aurelio Rebelo, who received Ksh30 million during the case period.

Chiloba shifted the blame to former IEBC Chairman Isaack Hassan and his team for the irregular procurement of election materials prompting the parliamentary committee to summon the ex-officials.

[caption caption="IEBC CEO Ezra Chiloba"][/caption]

A report of Auditor-General Edward Ouko for the financial year 2014/15 indicated there was irregular procurement of election materials, overpayment of legal fees and unsupported expenditures.