Caption: The IEBC is under pressure to provide an alternative firm to issue ballot tender for this years elections.

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Kenyans chances of getting a local firm to print out the presidential elections ballot papers have increased following the recommendations are given by the presidential aspirants themselves.

Presidential aspirant Ekuru Aukot who is running on a Thirdway Alliance Kenya ticket, presented a document to the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) urging them to allocate the tender to a local firm in Kenya.

In the document, he further recommended that they hire an international logistics company to oversee the elections.

Fellow aspirants such as Raila Odinga and Mohammed Abduba Dida have supported the idea to hire a local firm.

On the other hand President Uhuru Kenyatta’s Jubilee Party stated that they have no preference as to who is allocated the tender even if it is given to their competitors National Super Alliance (NASA).

Presidential candidates Cyrus Jirongo, Joe Nyagah, Prof Michael Wainaina and Japhet Kaluyu are also not opposed to the idea.

The proposal was brought forward on Monday during IEBCs meeting with the presidential candidates in absence of President Uhuru Kenyatta and opposition leader Raila Odinga.

During the meeting the candidates along with their representatives deliberated whether it would be legally possible to recommend a firm that can print the ballot papers, which were scheduled to be printed by July 18th.

According to the IEBC the first batch of 120 million ballot papers for the six elective seats must start July 25, and the last batch by August 2.

The deadline is only eight days away and the IEBC is under immense pressure to come to a conclusion to this issue and many around the country are eager to see how the pens out.

IEBC chair Wafula Chebukati is confident that the commission will be able to come up with a solution soon.

“This was really a consultative meeting. And next time we call presidential candidates, it is important that they come. You can never be too busy to meet the commission. It helps the country,” he said as reported by the Daily Nation.