ODM faults IEBC decision

ODM faults IEBC decision Written By:Martin Mwanje/Rose Welimo,    Posted: Sun, Jul 22, 2012

Namwamba called on Kenyans to be on the lookout of any schemes aimed at rigging the next election The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission is on the spot over what the Orange Democratic Movement party says is a plot to rig the forthcoming general election. Budalang'i MP Ababu Namwamba cited the Biometric Voter Registration tendering row facing the commission claiming schemes were in top gear to hand the tender to a Company associated with powerful individuals in readiness for vote rigging. He now wants Kenyans to be on the watch out. He wondered why a decision to award the tender to an Indian company which was the lowest bidder was reversed by the tendering committee. Namwamba while warning against trivializing the matter read mischief in the entire process, called on Kenyans to be on the lookout of any schemes aimed at rigging the next election.  South Mugirango MP Manson Nyamweya called for transparency in the tendering process. In a rejoinder Justice Minister Eugene Wamalwa defended IEBC over the tender row for the supply of biometric voters' registration kit. Speaking in Kogelo where he paid a visit to Mama Sarah Obama, the minister said the commission should be given ample time to work without any external interference. Last week the new tender committee of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission announced that it would start due diligence on Symphony even though it was not the lowest bidder. A statement from the Commission's Chief Executive officer James Oswago said that an Independent team had been appointed to undertake due diligence on the next lowest evaluated bidder, Africa Symphony, as per the provision of Regulation 52(2) of the Public Procurement and Disposal Regulations, 2006. "The Tender Committee, having considered all pertinent documents, including the results of the due diligence on the lowest evaluated bidder, that is 4G Identity Solution Pvt. Limited, has decided as follows: Not to award the tender for the Biometric Voter Registration kits to the lowest evaluated bidder, that is 4G Identity Solution Pvt Limited, as recommended by the Evaluation Committee," a statement signed by CEO James Oswago said. IEBC shortlisted four firms namely 4G Identity Solutions of India which quoted $45 million (Sh3.72 billion), Symphony whose bid was $47.5 million (Sh3.9 billion), Face Technologies of South Africa at $55.3 million (Sh4.6 billion) and On Track of Israel at $99.4 million (Sh8.2 billion). The original tender committee awarded the contract to Face Technologies of South Africa which ranked third against the recommendation of the evaluation committee that 4G be awarded the contract.