Inform Lykos: Profile of Greek Company Tasked With Ksh3 Billion Ballot Papers Tender

A collage image of Inform Lykos plant in Greece (LEFT) and 2013 presidential election ballot papers (RIGHT).
A collage image of Inform Lykos plant in Greece (LEFT) and 2013 presidential election ballot papers (RIGHT).
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In April, the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) awarded a Greek company, Inform Lykos, a Ksh3 billion tender to print ballot papers for the August 9 polls.

However, little is known about the firm despite landing a vital tender ahead of the polls. 

Kenyans.co.ke has established that the company was founded in 1897 and currently has three manufacturing plants based in Greece, Romania and Albania.

The company deals in digital printing, security printing and the distribution of digital documents among them data processing.

A sample of an IEBC ballot paper.
A sample of an IEBC ballot paper.
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IEBC

The company is run by Manolis Kontos who serves as the Managing Director and Panagiotis Spyropoulos who serves as the company's President.

Over the years, Lykos has worked with reputable companies securing multi-million deals with companies such as Vodafone, Allianz and TNT.

"We provide products and services for the secure management of documents and information, innovating in the digital transformation of companies and organizations by providing highly specialized solutions," read a statement by the company.

According to the company's financial records, the firm generated revenue of over Ksh9 billion in 2021.

However, IEBC's decision to award it the lucrative tender has been criticised by a section of the political class given their involvement in delays of the Nigerian elections in 2019.

In 2019, the electoral body postponed the presidential polls for close to one week citing the delays in implementing come of the logistics that were needed for the polls.

However, the company has denied the claims stating that the Nigerian Commission did not directly link them to the delays that were experienced.

During a consultative meeting between presidential candidates on Wednesday, June 29, IEBC maintained that the company was up to the task to deliver over 200 million ballot papers.

Additionally, IEBC through Commissioner Prof Addi Guliye defended the company by downplaying concerns over the delivery of ballot papers even as they stated that the firm had a better capacity than Dubai-based, Al Ghurair Group, which was contracted in 2017.

"In 2017, I visited Al Ghurair severally and having headed the opportunity this firm, I can say that they have twice the capacity. They have the main facility in Athens and the second facility in Romania which has the same equipment and is used as a backup site.

"They do more business that the little contract we have given them. and are listed in Athens stock exchange and I do not think they will engage in any fishy business," he stated.

Guliye added that ballot papers will not be tempered by citing various security measures the company had put in place. He stated that they were banned from carrying any electronic device during their tour.

File photo of Kenyans in a queue waiting to cast their vote in a past election.
Kenyans in a queue waiting to cast their vote in a past election.
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