IEBC officials appearing before MPs over alleged procurement irregularities

National Assembly’s Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has summoned top Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) officials to appear before it Thursday morning, over alleged procurement irregularities.

This comes after investigations into the IEBC procurement of Biometric Voter Registration (BVR) kits and other electronic gadgets, which failed during the 2013 elections, exposing massive procurement irregularities.

A PAC report indicated that 3.9 billion shillings was lost in the government-to-government procurement deal for the BVR kits with Canada, after the commission allegedly bungled the open tendering process.

IEBC has requested a 45 billion shillings budget, to prepare for the next elections, amid claims that it could be compelled to procure more electronic gadgets to be  used in the next elections.

However, questions over the integrity of the commission have arose, especially from the bungled procurement, equipment failure, and the infamous Chickengate scandal, with calls for the IEBC commissioners to quit.

This as the Kenya  Africa National Union Party (KANU) supported calls by other political parties, and civil societies, for reforms in the electoral body IEBC, before next year’s General Election.

Speaking at Kipreres, Bomet County during a burial ceremony, KANU’s Secretary General Nick Salat said the IEBC cannot be trusted to oversee  credible elections, following serious allegations of rigging and malpractices reported in past by elections.

Nandi Hills legislator Alfred Keter echoed Salat’s sentiments, calling for national dialogue involving all aggrieved parties.