Simmering acrimony between the Opposition and the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission over the award of a tender to print ballot papers does not augur well for the August 8, 2017 elections. The award to a Dubai based firm, Al Ghurair is being challenged.
The National Super Alliance, and indeed, the Thirdway Alliance Party, have called for the cancellation of the tender. Thursday's hasty invitation by IEBC to all presidential aspirants failed to reach an amicable solution.
Jubilee is claiming the Opposition has sensed defeat, hence is simply stalling for time. In the interest of peace and national unity, all interested parties need to tone down their rhetoric while IEBC takes it upon itself to make full disclosure on the tender process.
In March, the High Court stopped the award of the Sh2.5 billion tender to Dubai-based Al Ghurair. In the case filed by CORD challenging the award of the tender to Al Ghurair, Judge George Odunga ruled that the tender award to Al Ghurair Printing and Publishing Company did not comply with the amended Election laws 2016 and the integrated electronic electoral system in accordance with the law. IEBC was therefore asked to restart the tendering process afresh.
Instead, IEBC chose to ignore the court's ruling which, had it been followed, would not have put the strain on it in its endeavour to meet timelines. It was not enough that Chief Executive Officer Ezra Chiloba told a parliamentary committee IEBC was aware of the possibility of litigations to challenge the award of the tender to Al Ghurair.
Nearly 10 firms submitted the bids for the tender including Gemalto (Netherlands), Avante (USA) and Smartmatic, associated with billionaire investor George Soros from which IEBC could choose an alternative supplier.
The supply of election materials has always been fraught with delays, suspicion and endless contestations. A mismanaged election in 2007 almost took the country over the brink, yet IEBC appears not to have drawn lessons from the ignominy that followed that election. It is evident that refusal to bend to reason can cause disharmony. Reason must prevail.
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