Inside Controversial IT Company Hired by IEBC

IEBC Chair Wafula Chebukati receives the first batch of the printed ballot papers on July 7, 2022.
IEBC Chair Wafula Chebukati receives the first batch of the printed ballot papers on July 7, 2022.
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IEBC

The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) was on Friday, July 22, put in the spotlight after reports emerged that police had arrested three Venezuelans with electoral materials.

According to a statement by the National Police Service (NPS), officers deployed to offer security services at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) were compelled to apprehend the three and question them after they were found carrying IEBC stickers.



NPS noted that the electoral Commission had not issued a notice on the importation of any electoral material even as questions emerged as to why the IEBC would use foreigners from a contracted firm to transport electoral materials as part of their luggage.

The foreigners, attached to Smartmatic International, are said to be part of technicians who will help IEBC with the deployment of the technology during the electioneering period.

Commissioner Guliye on regretting IEBC job
Commissioner Abdi Guliye, left, and IEBC Chairman Wafula Chebukati, center, addressing the media
Citizen Digital

However, research by Kenyans.co.ke has revealed that Smartmatic International has been involved in controversial dealings spanning over two decades.

Smartmatic has since 2004 been involved in electoral processes for countries in Africa, Asia, and America.

In January 2022, the Philippines Cyber Crime Investigations Center reported that the IT firm had been compromised during the execution of the country’s presidential elections in 2016. Current President, Bongbong Marcos, contested his defeat in the 2016 elections, blaming it on irregularities and discrepancies in the electoral process. An inquiry established that there was a server error in Smartmatic’s system. 

Smartmatic International was also engulfed in controversy during Venezuela’s Parliament elections in 2017 after it reported that the polls had been manipulated by over one million ballots. Despite not being involved, the firm asserted that it had the election’s turnout had been manipulated.



Venezuela’s electoral commission, however, maintained that the results had not been tampered with. The company would later exit Venezuela in 2018 in unclear circumstances. 

The company had previously been implicated in a scandal during the 2004 elections in the same country. A section of election observers overseeing the elections reported that the process was marred by electronic fraud and irregularities. 

In 2006, allegations that the company was linked to the Venezuelan government arose during the local elections in Chicago, US. The same allegations resurfaced in 2020 when former US President, Donald Trump, accused the company of collaborating with Venezuela’s government to scuttle his reelection plans.

However, the company defended its reputation and played down the allegations. The company had earlier this year filed a defamation suit against American news outlet Fox News after it reported that Smartmatic had suffered a multi-billion loss. According to Smartmatic, Fox News’ disinformation risked losing the company's trust of clients in the US.

In response to the controversies, IEBC defended its decision to award the contract to Smartmatic, arguing that the Commission was not privy to the reports that linked Smartmatic to the issues raised. The Commission added that the company was best placed to respond to such allegations. 

“I relied on the report of the evaluation committee that 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,” remarked IEBC CEO, Hussein Marjan.

IEBC Chairman Wafula Chebukati atduring the voter transmision simulation exercise at the Bomas of Kenya on Thursday. June 9, 2022..jpg (3
IEBC Chairman Wafula Chebukati during the voter transmission simulation exercise at the Bomas of Kenya on Thursday. June 9, 2022.
IEBC
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