MPs vow to block Safran Morpho from Sh3b data tender

A French firm in the controversial procurement of election materials worth billions of shillings risks missing out on a Sh3 billion identity data tender.

Members of National Assembly's Public Accounts Committee yesterday accused directors of Safran Morpho of snubbing their investigations into procurement of the materials and services by IEBC.

The team, chaired by Ugunja MP Opiyo Wandayi, said it would not hesitate to ban Safran Morpho from doing business with State agencies. 

The firm, re-branded IDEMIA following a merger of Oberthur Technologies and Safran Identity & Security (Morpho), has reportedly placed a bid for the tender that seeks to collate personal data under one system by capturing all biometrics.

The data is expected to be used in the August population census.

IEBC awarded the firm a tender worth  more than Sh4 billion to supply the 45,000 Kenya Integrated Election Management System kits used in the August 8, 2017 polls, and another ShSh2.5 billion for the repeat presidential election on October 26.

Rarieda MP Otiende Amollo said: “They cannot be readily available when signing contracts but remain shadowy when asked to account for their dealings."