IEBC lawyer Kamau Karori addresses the court in the hearing of a case NASA challenging the ballot paper printing tender. [PHOTO/nation.co.ke]
The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission has allayed fears expressed by the Opposition NASA that ballot papers are likely to be interfered with prior to the next general elections.
IEBC instead said that everything has been put in place to prevent any malpractices.
Through lawyer Kamau Karori, IEBC told a three-judge bench that they plan to use technology where voters can be identified biometrically and that results of real turning up voters will be identified biometrically before being accepted by the system for electronic transmission.
“This will ensure that excess ballots are not introduced in the system. The fear by NASA on possibility of ballot stuffing does not therefore arise,” Karori said as quoted by Nation.
He said the decision to award Al Ghurair was informed by the little time remaining prior to the elections.
“Direct procurement is an option provided for under the Public Procurement and Asset Disposal Act, and the IEBC cannot be faulted for the choice it made. There is no argument suggesting the commission acted outside the law,” he said.