BVR kits dispute moves to court

By LUCIANNE LIMO

The procurement of Biometric Voter Registration (BVR) kits has run into fresh hurdles following a move by a human rights activist to stop the Canadian company from delivering the equipment.

The applicant, Okiya Omtatah Okoiti, also wants the court to establish the whereabouts of approximately Sh4 billion that was initially allocated to the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) to procure the BVR kits under which they cancelled.

“The money has not been accounted for yet the government is reported to have procured a bilateral loan of approximately Sh7.3 billion from the Canadian government for the same purpose of procuring the said BVR kits,” he said.

Omtatah wants the electoral body stopped from procuring the kits from Safran Morpho until the case is heard and determined.

The activist alleges that the company awarded the contract suffers integrity issues having been involved in corrupt practices in Nigeria while trading as Sagem S A and further having been penalised by a Paris criminal court for being corrupt.

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The petitioner has named as respondents the Attorney General (AG) and IEBC.

The case was certified urgent by Justice Mumbi Ngugi and Okoiti was directed to serve the two respondents.

Comply with conditions

Okoiti wants IEBC prohibited against contracting the Canadian firm until they comply with the express conditions of the law in public procurement and constitutional provisions of integrity.

The court, he contends, should give a declaration as to whether a government-to-government contract ousts the application of and adherence to procurement laws and constitutional provisions of integrity.

He wants the court to issue an order compelling the IEBC and the Finance minister to provide the court with full information on the ongoing procurement of the kits.