Election chiefs quizzed in inquiry

Investigations into corrupt dealings at the electoral commission are at an advanced stage, the anti-corruption commission said on Wednesday.

The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC), through its spokesperson Yasin Amaro, said the commission had interrogated top IEBC officials over corruption claims relating to the procurement of voting material.

“We are investigating fraud in the procurement. EACC has been investigating reports that the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) officials were given bribes to award contracts to Smith & Ouzman,” Mr Amaro stated.

He spoke as former IEBC chief executive James Oswago on Wednesday fought off allegations that he was among election chiefs who pocketed hefty bribes from the British company in exchange for lucrative tenders.

In an interview with the Nation, Mr Oswago said that he knew one Trevy Oyombra, Smith & Ouzman’s agent in Kenya.

According to UK prosecutors, it is Mr Oyombra who was mandated with negotiating and delivering bribes to top the Interim Independent Electoral Commission (IECC) and its successor, the IEBC, to influence them into awarding the contracts to S&O.

Mr Oswago however denied receiving any bribe from the firm through Mr Oyombra.

“Trevy Oyombra, the Smith and Ouzman local agent or representative in Kenya is of course very well known to me and to nearly all managers and commissioners at the commission,” Mr Oswago stated.

“It should not be difficult for him to show, in evidence, to whom he paid any consideration, if at all, whether these were in the guise of 'chickens' or facilitation payments — all mere categories and fancy nomenclature for bribes and bribery,” he noted.

The fact that Mr Oyombra was paid on commission, he said, could have motivated him to inflate contract figures under the guise of paying bribes to get a higher commission.

“What would stop such a person from saying I need Sh3 million more to pay some guys kickbacks so that he gets a higher commission on the strength of the inflated figure?”

He challenged the UK Serious Fraud Office (SFO) to summon Mr Oyombra to appear in court and substantiate the claims that he bribed top IEBC officials.

The EACC on its part, stated that it was liaising with the SFO to nail past and present IEBC officials who may have received bribes.

“We are in touch through mutual legal assistance to obtain evidence linking these people to the scandal and once we tie up our investigations, we will prosecute them,” Mr Amaro stated.