Dutch company, Smartmatic International Holding B.V, has dispelled reports that it has overseen flawed election processes in other countries across the world.
While defending the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC), the firm maintained that it is credible and ready to facilitate the August 9 polls.
In a statement dated Thursday, July 14, the Dutch company maintained that it legally won the Ksh4 billion tender to supply IEBC with the Integrated Election Management Systems (Kiems) kit.
"Despite all the misinformation and disinformation in cyberspace, the Philippines is today a reference for well-run elections.
"Elections are prone to controversies; this is true in Kenya, the United States, France and basically everywhere in the world," Samira Saba, Communications Director, Smartmatics, stated, insisting that it sealed all loopholes.
K24 TV journalist, Ayub Abdukadir exposed the company for failing to manage polls in Uganda properly, Phillippines and the US.
Abdukadir, in a TV interview with the IEBC chairperson, Wafula Chebukati, stated that Smartmatics was forced to revert to the manual process after its electronic systems failed, in the three countries.
"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.
However, IEBC CEO Hussein Marjan on Thursday, July 14, explained that Smartmatic company won the tender after a rigorous vetting process.
Other companies that placed their bid include Indra Soluciones Tecnologias De La Informacion, Genkey Solutions BV, Laxton Group Ltd, and Africa Infrastructure Development Company.
"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.
