French IT Firm Accused of Meddling with Kenya's 2017 Presidential Elections Wins New Sh6 Billion Gov't Tender

French IT Firm Accused of Meddling with Kenya's 2017 Presidential Elections Wins New Sh6 Billion Gov't Tender

A French technology company that was caught up in rigging claims during Kenya's 2017 presidential elections has won a new Sh6 billion government tender.
 
Business Daily reports that OT Morpho which rebranded to IDEMIA in 2018, has been awarded the tender for the upcoming mass biometric registration of all Kenyans.

Interior Principal Secretary Karanja Kibicho says the French IT firm has supplied 31,500 biometric kits for the registration exercise set to begin on March 18th.

“We have all the kits. They have been supplied by IDEMIA but their software has been prepared locally,” says Kibicho.

Kibicho says the government hopes to register more than 50 million Kenyans during the 45-day exercise.

In 2017, the Kenyan opposition coalition National Super Alliance (Nasa) accused the company of manipulating votes to the advantage of President Kenyatta.

The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) contracted the French firm to supply voter identification and results transmission kits (KIEMS) ahead of the 2017 elections for Sh6 billion.

The presidential election was later nullified by the Supreme Court after Opposition candidate Raila Odinga filed a petition.

Kibicho says the new registration drive will entail collection of DNA samples.

Every registered Kenyan will be issued with a single digital card dubbed Huduma Namba to be used in accessing government services.

The exercise will help the government create a database known as the National Integrated Identity Management System (NIIMS).

“We are not saying that Kenyans who visit registration clerks will walk away with Huduma cards on the same day but that’s what everyone will eventually get in order to access services."

"In the fullness of time, will not need all these multiple cards and documents except Huduma and passport,” says Kibicho.

 

 

 

 

 

Comments

imkgoogo (not verified)     Sun, 02/03/2019 @ 09:36am

NASA leadership also blamed Safaricom, and even directed its members to boycott the company, but the members knew it was a fishing expedition.

Mwororo (not verified)     Sun, 02/03/2019 @ 10:41am

Why do we have to use foreigners to obtain and process such sensitive data and information from our people? Can't we ever do anything for ourselves? Why expose our DNA sampling to people capable of harming us? Almost 60yrs since Independence and still depending on those who colonized us. We might give them all our biological Mapping making it easy for them to create a targeted and specific biological weapons to eliminate a group of people if not all of us- methinks.

Diana (not verified)     Sun, 02/03/2019 @ 02:02pm

In reply to by Mwororo (not verified)

Ot-morpho have found fools to con in kenya, so let them make money off of sellouts and traitors.

Someone has to.So, why not them.If your going to a rogue corporation be a rogue corporation.No need of pretending to work with people of integrity.

Kenyans just need to avoid this registration drive.

Anonymous UI (not verified)     Sun, 02/03/2019 @ 10:45am

This idea stinks to high heaven. Why the hurry? This government that has been able to curb local corruption is engaging a former African colonizer and trusting it with Kenyans private information. Our government is proving to be a Hugh mistake. What are DNA's for? Is the government ready to sell Kenyans body parts to foreignors ? Our fore fathers lived complete lives without providing such information to foreignors. This is a dangerous path. This government will not rule forever. It should concentrate on what is necessary now are leave the rest to be continued by the next government. This government will prove to be a "jack of all trades and a master of none" . It is working to befriend former colonizers all over the world while calling it's citizens " Wachenzi". When will we hear about it's projects being performed by Kenyans? God save Kenya!

Anonymous UI (not verified)     Sun, 02/03/2019 @ 12:44pm

I meant, a government that is unable to control corruption at home is engaging a corrupt foreign company and trusting it with our citizens most private and sensitive information. Something that cannot be taken back if anything went wrong. How stupid have we remained since independence. Don't we learn history. Colonizers who maimed, castrated, humiliated, hanged,and killed our forefathers. Now we are trusting them with our most private and sensitive information to keep and use as they wish. The government should make it a choice whether one wants to provide DNA or not.

Imara Daima (not verified)     Sun, 02/03/2019 @ 03:01pm

Kampuni hii ya Kifaransa isipewe zabuni (tender) kutokana na utapeli kampuni hii iliyofanya kwenye uchaguzi uliopita.

Ndugu @Anonymous UI na Ndugu @Mwororo yote mliyoyasema ni ya kweli kabisa.

Je, Ndugu WAFULA CHEBUKATI yungali msamimizi kwenye tume ya uchaguzi? Mtu huyu aondolewe mara moja kwenye tume hii au wananchi wasusie (boycott) uchaguzi ujao. Huenda ikawa, yeye ndiye aliyeiruhusu kampuni hii ya Wafaransa irudi tena na kufanya maajabu kama yaliyotendeka 2017.

mkenya halisi (not verified)     Mon, 02/04/2019 @ 07:55am

Hio kandarasi ipewe mollases stollen company or Lpg gas company ya rao wahesabu wote?Who don't know this nasa thugs were blaming complaining payukaring for everything ndio kenya ichomeke.Shame on them mapepo mbaya mashetani?Thaaii thathaiya ngai thaaii ngaii witu wa kenya iitu.If you don't want to b counted my the firm please don't come out kaaa nyumbani.Hii shida ya kurundishwa nyuma kila wakati na watu wangine wa lake side wapotelee mbali.

DNA (not verified)     Tue, 02/12/2019 @ 08:46am

People should realize that DNA profiling will allow the government, extortionists, and hackers to identify all illegitimate children across the whole country...

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