IEBC refused to accept late supplies of lanterns

The polls agency declined to accept late supplies of 3,000 solar lanterns by Konnexions Limited after they were delivered last month.

The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) also refused to pay for 34,000 metal detectors previously ordered for use in the last General Election.

Anti-corruption and parliamentary agencies are currently investigating the two “suspicious” procurement deals that could have cost taxpayers close to Sh1 billion.

On Tuesday, it emerged that IEBC chief executive officer James Oswago wrote to the Treasury saying it will not pay for the metal detectors that had been requested by the National Police Service for use as they would not have been delivered in time for the March 4 elections.

Although the IEBC claims it had only ordered 34,000 metal detectors, the number increased to 103,000, costing over Sh1.3 billion, a financial burden now left to the police to foot.

“When the materials were to be delivered after the March 4 elections, the IEBC CEO clearly and formally advised the PS Works and IG (Inspector-General of Police) that the IEBC no longer needed the items. The IEBC equally advised the PS Treasury. But the police still needed them,” said Mr Oswago.

Mr Oswago also denied knowledge of the additional orders, insisting that the commission all along knew that only 34,000 metal detectors were to be supplied.

IEBC defended the initial desire to procure the security gadgets, adding that they would have come in handy in facilitating collection of data for early warning signs of election-related violence.

According to the commission, donors had raised Sh1.5 billion to facilitate the procurement.

The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission is investigating several procurement processes conducted by the commission, including the biometric voter registration (BVR) kits and electronic voter identification devices.