NASA, IEBC lock horns over ballot papers printing

The National Super Alliance (NASA) is set to move to court to block the Ksh 2.5 billion ballot papers printing tender the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) awarded to Dubai printing firm, Al-Ghurair.

NASA presidential candidate, Raila Odinga, on Wednesday, June 21, alleged that the ruling Jubilee coalition influenced the electoral commission to award the tender to the Dubai-based firm, adding that presidential ballot papers were already printed despite his coalition raising the red flag.

“The commission’s decision to award the tender to Al Ghurair was not independent as it was influenced by Jubilee operatives and we will be moving to court to block it.” Odinga said.

The presidential hopeful said that the commission is under prepared for the polls slated for August 8.

“Al-Ghurair was ill positioned to be awarded the tender because of controversies surrounding the firm, we will not be subjected to a skewed electoral process.”

He asserted that Jubilee ensured that the tender was awarded to Al-Ghurair because ‘Jubilee would not win in a free and fair election.

However, the IEBC rubbished Raila’s claims that printing of the presidential ballot papers is already ongoing.

In a press statement sent to newsrooms on Wednesday, June 21, the IEBC chair, Wafula Chebukati, said the ballot papers printing is yet to commence.

“For avoidance of doubt, the printing of ballot papers has not started. We expect it to commence from Friday, June 23, 2017,” the statement read in part.

“However, the printing of ballot papers for presidential elections, shall commence around July 18, 2017.”

The opposition chief had earlier pointed out that “as we speak, we have information that the presidential ballot papers has already been printed.”

Raila added that he had advised his legal team to move with haste to bar the electoral body from undertaking the process.

Reporting by Wahome Gitonga and Richard Manyala