Nasa sneaks in ballot tender issue into list of Jubilee errors

National Super Alliance (Nasa) principals rejected the issuance of a tender to print ballot papers to a Dubai firm as they intensified campaigns at the Coast.

Presidential candidate Raila Odinga, his running mate Kalonzo Musyoka, Senator Moses Wetang'ula and ANC leader Musalia Mudavadi said the firm was connected to top Jubilee Party leaders.

The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) awarded Dubai-based Al Ghurair Printing and Publishing Company the Sh2.5 billion tender to print ballot papers to the chagrin of Nasa leaders.

MAIZE FLOUR
The Opposition had been opposed to the awarding of the tender to the company since September last year when it was first awarded leading to a lengthy court process.

Mr Musyoka further asked Kenyans not to pay for government labelled subsidised maize flour.

The leaders who exuded confidence of a Nasa win in the August polls, also reiterated their promise of a free secondary education from September.

They addressed rallies in Taveta, Wundanyi, Mwatate and Voi in Taita Taveta County before heading to Mombasa for the breaking of fast.

IDPs PAID
Mr Mudavadi questioned President Uhuru Kenyatta’s issuance of money to internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Kisii during the campaign period, saying it broke the electoral code of conduct.

He also questioned why the Kisii IDPs were being paid 10 years after those from other parts of the country were paid Sh400,000 each and given land and iron sheets.

The leaders, who campaigned for Nasa candidates, said the outfit was strong enough to remove the current government from power.

SGR COST INFLATED
Mr Odinga and Musyoka said Jubilee should be voted out for presiding over extra-judicial killings, assassinations, running down the economy and issuing fake promises to Kenyans.

If Nasa wins, they said, they will reduce the cost of living in 90 days.

The leaders promised to improve national police welfare, infrastructure, health care and end graft.

Mr Odinga claimed the Jubilee administration had exaggerated the cost of the Standard Gauge Railway by Sh100 billion.

“We initiated the project with former President Mwai Kibaki during the Grand Coalition government. We even awarded the contract at Sh220 billion but later they changed it to sh320 billion,” Mr Odinga said.

WAVINYA NDETI'S WOES
He also mentioned scandals like the National Youth Service, the Ministry of Health and Eurobond, which he said were meant to fleece the taxpayers money.

The ODM leader said he will talk to Tanzanian President John Pombe Magufuli to ease trade across the Kenya-Tanzania border.

“Mr Magufuli is my friend so I will talk to him so that trade across the border becomes easy. You will no longer get problems at the border,” he said.

Mr Musyoka faulted the IEBC for nullifying Wavinya Ndeti’s nomination as the party’s Machakos gubernatorial flag-bearer.

He urged residents to come out in large numbers to vote out the Jubilee government.