In a suit filed yesterday, the National Super Alliance (Nasa) has raised concerns about the integrity of Al Ghurair, the Dubai printer awarded the Sh2.5 billion tender by the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC).
Nasa accuses President Kenyatta of having vested interests in the preparations for the elections.
The electoral agency says it opted to award the tender to the Dubai firm because of tight deadlines, and argues it is impossible to cancel the tender now.
The opposition has made good its threat to stop the award of the ballot paper printing tender to a Dubai-based firm in a move that could throw preparations for the August 8 elections into disarray.
In a suit filed yesterday, the National Super Alliance (Nasa) has raised concerns about the integrity of Al Ghurair, the Dubai printer awarded the Sh2.5 billion tender by the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC).
The firm is expected to start printing the 120 million ballot papers today for delivery on July 25. It is listed as an interested party in the suit that will be heard this morning before Justice George Odunga.
In challenging the award of the tender to Al Ghurair, Nasa alleges an existing relation between the firm’s directors and shareholders with President Uhuru Kenyatta, who is seeking re-election.
In the case documents, Nasa accuses Mr Kenyatta of having vested interests in the preparations for the elections.
Nasa, through its lawyer Jackson Awele, also claims the firm has a dubious record in supplying electoral materials that could undermine the elections.
Al Ghurair, the opposition argues, was entangled in electoral malpractices in Zambia and Uganda where it had supplied election materials.
Nasa also accuses the IEBC of single-sourcing the tender, going ahead to award it and signing the contract without consulting stakeholders involved as per the law.
“IEBC selectively elevated competence, cost of effectiveness and other similar factors above other equally important constitutional principles of transparency, inclusivity and accountability expected of every procurement process by a State organ in order to justify the biased as well as predetermined award to Al Ghurair,” said Mr Awele
The IEBC initially awarded the tender to Al Ghurair last year, but a High Court judge in February cancelled it, saying the IEBC did not follow new election regulations after it was challenged by the opposition.
The electoral agency says it opted to award the tender to the Dubai firm because of tight deadlines, and argues it is impossible to cancel the tender now. READ ALSO: Are IEBC and Kenyans ready for August poll?
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