Jubilee, NASA Reject United Nations Ballot Printing Offer

President Uhuru's Jubilee Party and the opposition National Super Alliance (NASA) have rejected a deal between the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) and United Nations development agency to finance the printing of presidential ballot papers for the repeat election.

This comes after the Electoral Commission chief executive officer Ezra Chiloba revealed that there was a proposal to bring on board the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) to finance the cost of ballot papers was still at the discussion stage.

The leader of Majority in the National Assembly criticised the proposal, saying it is against the law on the management of public money and asked the Treasury to throw out the proposal.

“Kenya is not a banana republic. The only places where the UN can conduct elections are Haiti and Liberia,” Duale said in the National Assembly.

Citing the Public Finance Management Act, the Garissa township MP added: "Any election conducted with proceeds from the UN is illegal. This is just because he wants to satisfy the ego of someone who is power-hungry.”

Speaking at his Capitol Hill office in Upper Hill, Nairobi, National Super Alliance (NASA) presidential flagbearer Raila Odinga opposed the proposal and cautioned IEBC against hiding under the UNDP to have Dubai-based Al Ghurair Printing and Publishing to print the ballot papers for the repeat poll.

Raila said that Nasa will not accept ballot papers printed by Al Ghurair firm.

“IEBC cannot hide under UNDP to help in sourcing for ballot papers. It is not a question of who will pay. We reject the offer,” Raila said.

The former Prime Minister dismissed claims by IEBC that it had a two-year contract with Al Ghurair, saying it was not binding, since the tender was single-sourced.

IEBC CEO Chiloba, however, clarified that the proposal by UNDP was still in discussions.

“We have the criteria governing such an exercise but we have not formed up the discussion,” he said without giving a definite figure that the UNDP is prepared to spend on the ballot papers.

Chairman Chebukati said UNDP had offered to finance the printing of the ballot papers.

“This assistance is meant to help restore public confidence and trust in the integrity of the ballot papers and results forms to be used in the fresh election as well as address the concerns raised by the Supreme Court,” he said.

On Tuesday, Treasury Cabinet Secretary Henry, with regard to the UNDP request: “We have not discussed it.”