Sensitisation workshop for people living with disabilities on the voting process in Nyeri last year. PHOTO | FILE
By KIARIE NJOROGE
The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission
(IEBC) has advertised a tender for 106,000 ballot boxes estimated to
cost Sh256 million as preparations for next year’s polls gather pace.
The electoral agency expects delivery of the boxes to start in January, seven months before the August 8 polls.
The IEBC had earlier this year indicated that it
has set aside Sh265 million to purchase 106,000 ballot boxes to replace
some of the 180,000 that are broken.
“The Independent Electoral and Boundaries
Commission (IEBC) invites bids from eligible tenderers for supply and
delivery of ballot boxes,” IEBC said in tender documents. Tenders will
be opened on November 9 with the contract given to the lowest evaluated
responsive tender.
The tender follows similar bids by the IEBC for
ballot papers (estimated at Sh3.9 billion) and poll registers and audit
of the voters roll.
The rush to acquire electoral materials early is
meant to avert a repeat of the questionable procurement deals that
preceded the contested 2013 polls.
IEBC is working on a tight procurement timeline in
what is likely to see it single-source the technology gadgets to be used
in the polls.
The new Election Laws (Amendment) Act compels the
IEBC to procure the gadgets (voter identification and transmission kits)
by December 8, eight months to the 2017 General Election.
“The Commission shall, in an open and transparent
manner procure and put in place the technology necessary for the conduct
of a general election at least eight months before such elections,” the
law says.
The procurement law requires international open
tenders to be prepared for 21 days, floated for 30 days, 30 days set
aside for evaluation and 14 days for award, meaning that the December 8
deadline will be overshot.
The IEBC in its budget estimated it will spend
Sh3.5 billion to procure the kits. The successful firm for the ballot
box tender will be expected to deliver six boxes with colour-coded lids
for the posts of President, Member of National Assembly, Governor,
Senator, County Woman Member of the National Assembly and Member of
County Assembly.
The ballot box shall be transparent in what is meant to ensure there is not stuffing and will have indented serial numbers.
The IEBC has been allocated Sh18.5 billion in the current financial year ending June.
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