Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) officials address the press June 14, 2017. [Photo: IEBC]The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) says it will send monitoring stakeholders to Dubai.They will be able to monitor and oversee the ballot paper production, after the Opposition's Nasa raised concerns over the tendering process.According to Nasa, President Uhuru Kenyatta and his family influenced the ballot paper tender to the Dubai-based AL Ghurair Printing and Publishing LLC firm, to favour incumbent government in the August 8 polls.Nasa wants the tender cancelled."The Commission intends to dispatch the monitoring delegation to Dubai on 22 June 2017. They will be required to witness and confirm in writing, the completion of several key production points," said IEBC chairman Wafula Chebukati.At the completion of production, Chebukati noted the monitoring delegation will also verify in writing that the desired quantity of ballot papers has been printed, stitched and packaged into pallets. According to him, this will enhance accountability and transparency in the ballot paper production process."This is part of our continued efforts to build confidence in the wider electoral process."The stakeholder monitoring delegation will comprise:• 1 representative of each of the 8 Presidential Candidates • 1 representative from the Civil Society• 3 representatives from the Media• 1 representative from the Inter-religious Council• 1 representative from the Kenya Bureau of Standards (Kebs).As an additional security and confidence-building measure, the monitoring delegation will also witness the destruction of test-run prints during calibration and the handover of the pallets to the cargo agent by Al Ghurair."We are concerned with the growing political rhetoric in the country which is contradictory with the ongoing National Elections Conference with the theme of “Working Together towards a Credible and Peaceful 2017 Election”. I welcome all of us to abide by the spirit of the National Conference," Chebukati told a press conference, Wednesday.

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