Kenyan’s elections boss fights allegations of BVR tender scam

NAIROBI: Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) Chairman Issack Hassan was under siege Tuesday from a parliamentary watchdog to disclose his interests in a company that was at the centre of lucrative tenders to supply electronic gadgets to the electoral body ahead of the last General Election.

Hassan fought off allegations that he led other IEBC commissioners in vouching for South African company, Face Technologies, to be awarded the tender to supply the biometric voter registration (BVR) devices, resulting in a conflict with the then IEBC Chief Executive James Oswago, who was also pushing for the tender to go to 4G Solutions.

Appearing before the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) that is interrogating the special audit of the procurement of the gadgets by the Auditor General, the IEBC boss termed as malicious accusations the allegations that he vouched for the company to get the award.

Committee members took him to task, saying the evidence adduced before them indicated that he had interests in Face Technologies winning the tender, as he was known to the local agents of the company.

Committee Chairman Rarieda MP Nicholus Gumbo said the information they had was that Hassan with other commissioners, and Oswago and his team in the Secretariat, had competing interests and it was for that reason they could not agree on who should be awarded the tender.

"The information we have is that it was for that reason that the commission decided to cancel the tender, altogether, opting for manual voter registration, before the Government came to your rescue with the G to G (government to government) arrangement," said Gumbo.

But Hassan vehemently denied his involvement or that of any commissioner in the procurement, saying even the law did not allow them to handle the matter.

"It is a complete lie. These are allegations that are made by a person who is very malicious," he said.

"I do not have a relative at Face Technologies. And while I know they have an agent in Kenya, who even has come to our office, I do not know him. The fact that he comes from Mandera or has features that are similar to mine does not make him my relative," he added.

HATCHET MAN

"These people were coming to see the CEO, not me. They knew who was in charge of awarding tenders and they could not come to me because I did not have such powers," said the IEBC boss. He said he could not rule out possibilities of people within the commission, and especially in Secretariat, having interests in the tender, but was quick to add that he did not have evidence that the former CEO was vouching for any company.

Earlier in the day, commissioner Mohamed Alawi had dismissed claims that he was the 'Mr Fix it' in the alleged deal to give the tender to Face Technologies. "We have been told that you are the hatchet man and the principal firefighter at the commission," said Gumbo, attracting the response of the commissioner. "Those making such allegations are people who have a bone to pick with me or the commissioners because we sacked them from the commission, and as such, would not have kind words towards us," he said.

The commissioner added: "I am an honest Kenyan and cannot engage myself in such things. I am above board".

IEBC Vice Chairperson Lillian Mahiri-Zaja also denied claims that there was a rift between the commissioners and the Secretariat in the award of the lucrative tenders, saying they only read such stories in the media.

The committee members questioned why Hassan had failed to take action against Oswago after realising that he was delaying in awarding the tender for the BVRs, with Suba MP John Mbadi questioning whether he was a 'lame duck' held captive by the CEO.

But Hassan defended their decision to ignore expert advice against procuring the electronic voter identification devices, claiming that presidential aspirants in the last elections had pressurised to acquire the gadgets.