IEBC turns focus to printing of ballots

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An IEBC officer empties ballot papers in preparation for a by-election vote count at Muguru Primary School in Kangema September 17, 2012. The IEBC's focus has now turned to printing of ballot papers after the conclusion of political party primaries January 25, 2013. FILE   NATION MEDIA GROUP

By LUCAS BARASA
Posted  Friday, January 25  2013 at  13:05

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The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission's focus has now turned to printing of ballot papers after the conclusion of political party primaries.

The IEBC has written to the Public Procurement Oversight Authority (PPOA) expressing its confidence that a firm contracted to deliver the papers will do so.

“Smith and Ouzman has given IEBC all the necessary assurance that it will meet its contractual obligations on time and IEBC has undertaken due diligence on the matter,” IEBC chief executive officer James Oswago wrote to the authority’s boss Morris Juma.

Smith and Ouzman is said to have already acquired about 700 tonnes of raw materials, which consist of specialised security papers tailor made with the IEBC's water mark.

According to the contract terms, the raw materials were to be ready 30 to 50 days to the elections, awaiting to start printing once candidate data is provided after the nominations. IEBC is set to submit the list of the nominated candidates to the printer after nominations between January 29 and February 1.

IEBC officials have expressed confidence the papers will be in the country in time for distribution to all the 33,000 polling stations across the country. The General Election takes place on March 4.

Smith and Ouzman are partnering with “trusted strategic partners” to deliver the contract in time and to specification, according to Mr Oswago’s letter to PPOA.

The British printer was the supplier of the ballot papers to the defunct Electoral Commission of Kenya (ECK) for the 2007 General Election, the 2005 and 2010 referenda on the Constitution and all by-elections since 2007. It has also done security printing works for the Kenya National Examinations Council.

A Smith and Ouzman company official, who talked to the Nation but asked not to be named as he is not the firm’s spokesman, said it would require about three weeks to print the ballot papers with the names of candidates once they are presented by the IEBC.

In June 2010, the firm was also contracted to produce 1.2 million ballot papers, indelible ink and tally forms for the delayed Somaliland presidential elections. The election caught the attention of UK Prime Minister, David Cameron, who, during the weekly Prime Minister’s Questions praised the peaceful and credible elections in the country.