State to buy voter registration gadgets from Canada

By Martin Mutua and Peter Opiyo
The Government has resolved to source Biometric Voter Registration (BVR) equipment from Canada.

A Cabinet sub-committee on Thursday met to lay groundwork on how the equipment would be sourced from Canada.

The team, which met at Prime Minister’s office under chairmanship of Justice minister Eugene wamalwa laid groundwork on how the equipment will be purchased.

Confirming to The Standard  after the meeting, Wamalwa said the Government had agreed that the kits be sourced from Canada and that it would be upon Canadian government to pick on a company to supply the kits. He said the sub-committee was now working on modalities of acquiring the equipment.

Month-long debacle
“In the meeting with the two principals, we agreed that Canada would give us the kits and that is what the Cabinet sub-committee is working on. So we will give Canada our specifications and once they meet them, we will sign an MoU and seal the deal,” said Wamalwa on Thursday.

The move ends speculation as to where the equipment will be sourced from following a month-long debacle on BVR.

Last week, President Kibaki and Prime Minister Raila Odinga led a meeting that resolved Sh3.9 billion saga that surrounded the BVR gadgets. The Government was tasked to negotiate with other countries to acquire BVR equipment in record time to be used in the coming elections.

The more than three-hour meeting at Harambee House was also attended by among others Vice-President Kalonzo Musyoka, Attorney General Githu Muigai, Justice minister Eugene Wamalwa and Chairman of Parliamentary Committee on the Implementation of the Constitution Abdikadir Mohammed.

Wamalwa was categorical that Canada had been picked to supply the equipment but noted that it would not be Government’s headache on which company will supply the kits.

“That has been left to Canadian government. All we shall be waiting for are the equipments which must meet our specifications,” he added.

The move is meant to cut off scrambling for tender in supplying the equipment by companies and wheeler-dealers who have been out to make a kill in the lucrative deal.

Public confidence
Last week, Cabinet threw its weight behind BVR noting the system will  help build public confidence in electoral system.
The Cabinet further resolved to waive Sh300 fee required for those seeking to replace their national identity cards in a move aimed at making  many youths get Identity cards.