The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) was put on the spot over its procurement process in vetting and awarding a mega tender to a Netherlands firm, Smartmatic elections company.
While addressing a joint media interview on election preparedness on Wednesday evening, July 13, IEBC CEO Hussein Marjan was hard-pressed to explain how the firm won Ksh4 billion Kenya Integrated Election Management Systems (Kiems) kit tender.
Marjan, who appeared cornered as the IEBC chairman remained mum, revealed that he was not aware of a number of revelations regarding the history of the Smartmatic company in past elections.
The CEO was responding to a question posed by K24's Ayub Abdukadir, who highlighted how the elections company was blamed for the flaws in the electronic process in three countries leading to the firm reverting to the manual process.
"You talked about the procurement process in awarding the company in procuring its services. Did you know that the cybercrimes Investigations and coordinations Act in Philipinnes after the 2016 elections called on its Smartmatics, it compromised the elections which led to the elections of President Rodrigo Duterte."
"Did you know that in Uganda, the biometrics failed, resorting to them to revert the manual.. In Venezuela, the company in its own admission noted that the turnout voter system was manipulated by at least one million voters. Did you establish that before you awarded the company?" The journalist posed.
"No, I relied on the report of the evaluation committee did their due diligence, and provided me with the report. That is what I rely on. These issues were never cited."
"This would require the company to respond. This information did not come to our attention. It would be proper at this time, for the company to respond to such queries," Marjan stated.
The journalist called out the commission for not doing its due diligence by not being aware of the past flaws of the election process.
Marjan expounded that the company won the tender through a rigorous vetting process that was above board.
In November 2021, Smartmatic International Holding was awarded a Ksh4 billion Kenya Integrated Election Management Systems (Kiems) kit tender, beating three other companies namely; Indra Soluciones Tecnologias De La Informacion, Genkey Solutions BV, Laxton Group Limited and Africa Infrastructure Development Company.
Besides the controversial award of the tender, Chebukati and Marjan also addressed a wide range of issues regarding poll preparedness as the clock ticks towards August 9.
Chebukati alluded to the High Court's ruling that ordered the commission to clear former Nairobi governor Mike Sonko for the Mombasa gubernatorial seat.
He noted that the commission would comply with the High Court verdict and let the impeachment issue be handled by the Supreme Court.
“As a commission, we must obey the orders and enforce. It will have to be enforced and complied with. But that notwithstanding, I’m aware the issue around impeachment is at the Supreme Court and will be heard perhaps tomorrow (Thursday). In the future, there will be clarity along that line."
