Parliament votes to blacklist huduma Namba firm

SAFRAN IDEMIA Executive Vice President Mathew Foxton(L) and his Vice Olivier Charlanes when they appeared before the National Assembly Public Accounts Committee on KIEMS kits tender at Parliament on Thursday 21/02/19[Boniface Okendo,Standard]

Parliament has recommended the blacklisting of a company currently involved in Huduma Namba registration.

The House voted to bar Idemia (formerly IT Morpho) from conducting business in the country for its alleged role in procurement malpractices in the last General Election.

The decision followed amendments to a report of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC), which had recommended sanctions against officials of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) but failed to proffer any punishment against the firm.

This was despite a finding that the company was not registered in the country and did not have a local partner as required by law.

In the last election, the company won tenders worth more than Sh6 billion awarded by IEBC.

The amendment sanctioning the company reads: "Pursuant to provisions of Section 41 of the Public Procurement and Disposal Act, 2015, the Public Procurement Regulatory Authority investigates within 60 days the conduct of Idemia Securities Ltd and if it finds the company culpable, enters the name of the company in the central repository of debarred firms and ensures that the firm is precluded from participating or entering into any kind of procurement contract.”

The changes were fronted by Peter Kaluma (Homa Bay Town).

During debate, differences among PAC members spilled to the floor of the House as some claimed the committee had ignored its own observations and proceeded to sanitise the firm in the final report.

“On the face of it, Idemia would not be qualified to do business in Kenya. Beyond being registered, it must have a local representative and there must be local component in its shareholding. The committee observations did not match with its final recommendations,” said Kaluma.

He was supported by Otiende Amollo (Rarieda) who claimed that the company violated provisions of the Companies Act.

Committee Chair Opiyo Wandayi (Ugunja) claimed that he was 'non-committal' on the amendments, although he and more than half of PAC members signed the document before it was tabled in the House.

Ndindi Nyoro (Kiharu), who had also signed the report, told the House that he was 'indifferent' to the proposed changes.

Also supporting the amendments were Majority Leader Aden Duale (Garissa Town) and Sakwa Bunyasi (Nambale).