IEBC Rules Out Fresh Tender for Ballot Printing

The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) has said that it will not re-advertise the tender for printing presidential election ballot papers as directed by the High Court last week.

Instead, the Electoral Commission said that it will wait for the outcome of the appeal they made to the Court of Appeal, seeking clarification over the Friday’s High Court ruling.

IEBC, in its appeal, wants the court to declare that there no time to advertise a fresh tender after the award to Dubai-based Al Ghurair Printing and Publishing was revoked by the High Court on Friday.

“The learned judges erred in fact when they found that there is still time available to the appellant to procure election material without any factual basis and disregarding the professional assessment of the appellant,” the IEBC said in its memorandum of appeal.

IEBC chairman Wafula Chebukati has given all indications that the Commission will yet again award the tender to Al Ghurair, even as the opposition coalition NASA demand that an alternative company be awarded the tender for presidential ballot paper.

IEBC, through its media and communications manager Andrew Limo dismissed claims that the Commission had abandoned its appeal and opted to commence fresh tendering.

 “On the contrary, the IEBC has lodged an appeal on various grounds, including that it (tendering afresh) presents practical challenges of implementation,” said Limo in the statement.