EXPENSIVE BALLOT? Kenya may be spending two times what Tanzania spent in 2015

There has been a heated debate on the award of a tender for printing ballot papers ahead of the August elections.

NASA claims the tender was awarded to a firm with links to Jubilee, which may compromise the elections, claims Jubilee has vehemently denied.

But aside from the debate, Kenya has been using a lot of money to print ballot papers over the years, more than her neighbours. The reason why tenders are awarded in a competitive process is to cut down the costs.

Thus begs the question; why is it that the tender awarded to the Dubai-based company is too expensive? There are media reports that Kenya will spend two times what Tanzania spent in 2015.

Claims by IEBC that it single-sourced the company because it does not have enough time does not hold any water. It is the responsibility of the electoral agency to ensure the country is ready for elections.