Economy

PAC in threat to blacklist French IT firm IDEMIA

PAK

PAC chairman Opiyo Wandayi. FILE PHOTO | NMG

The National Assembly’s Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has threatened to bar French technology firm OT-Morpho from doing business with Kenya if it fails to honour the final request to appear in Parliament.

The directors of OT-Morpho, now rebranded IDEMIA, have snubbed several invites from PAC to shed light on procurement of 2017 election materials and services.

“This is our final appeal to the firm to appear before this committee before Monday next week, failure to which this committee will pronounce itself on the matter,” said PAC chairman Opiyo Wandayi.

IDEMIA was recently awarded a multi-million shilling tender to oversee mass registration of fingerprints in an exercise that kicks off on March 18.

At the end of the exercise, every Kenyan will be issued with a single digital (Huduma) card to be used in accessing government services.

Should the PAC blacklist IDEMIA, it will be a big blow to the firm as it may risk losing out in the Sh3 billion identity data tender.

“On account of defiance of public accountability, I suggest that the firm be barred from doing business in Kenya,” said Rarieda MP Otiende Amollo.

The French firm gained public attention after the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission awarded it a Sh6 billion tender to supply voter identification and results transmission kits (KIEMS) ahead of the 2017 polls.