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Post by kamalet on May 1, 2012 12:06:14 GMT 3
The procurement deals are suddenly exploding at IEBC. Commissioners and management are engaged in a tug of war between preferred and well connected companies. Politicians are lobbying for their own companies and it is becoing nasty. The story published in the standard was leaked by a disappointed bidder who was not even shortlisted from the original bidders list. The Public Procurement Oversight Authority is paying a closer interest at IEBC and their letters for clarifications have gone answered. Should the PPOA suspend and/or cancel the process and order fresh tendering, the electoral time table is certain to be affected. But perhaps even more critical for the bidders, their proposed solutions and bid prices are now matters of public knowledge so fresh retendering will not really be competitive bidding. Phil I am surprised I have not heard an angry word from you on the interference by foreign diplomats blackmailing the IEBC or even the ministers trying to influence the process! Is that not where the problem is rather than seek to look at the victim here? |
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Post by phil on May 1, 2012 14:21:07 GMT 3
Phil I am surprised I have not heard an angry word from you on the interference by foreign diplomats blackmailing the IEBC or even the ministers trying to influence the process! Is that not where the problem is rather than seek to look at the victim here? You wont. Diplomats have, among other things, been appointed to promote the commercial interests of their countries of origin. They will facilitate meetings for IEBC workers and firms from their countries. Ministers on the other hand are doing what politicians do, looking to make quick money to be used in funding campaigns. The IEBC, as an independent electoral body, must show professionalism in managing elections. It must adhere to the law in all its procurement dealings. This is not the case currently unfortunately. The commissioners and management of IEBC have vested interests representing different corruption cartels. It's a poorly kept secret. Just pay an incognito visit to the Anniversary Towers and you will get to know some of these controversies. |
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Post by phil on Jun 11, 2012 12:43:47 GMT 3
The IEBC has no problem sharing red-flags with the media on this multi-billion shilling tender they are about to award to Anglo-Fleecing companies that are associated with persons close to the powers that be. The IEBC is also not hiding the fact that they are giving a very sensitive contract to firms which they have themselves rated poorly in certain critical benchmarks. The IEBC has ignored professional advise from globally reknowned electoral solution providers in the area of e-registration and e-voting. Instead the commissioners and the management of IEBC are more keen to line their pockets from $$$ they receive from suppliers who have camped at Anniversary Towers for the last six months soliciting for this and other contracts. One must sure wonder how the IEBC is able to revise its budgets after prodding from parliament. Its merely a reduction of commissions payable due to the long chain of individuals with vested interests in the IEBC. If anyone needed any evidence that IEBC is compromised already, this is it!!!! IEBC to acquire kits for voter registration
Updated Sunday, June 10 2012 at 21:00 GMT+3
By ALLAN KISIA and Michael Wesonga
Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) is in the process of acquiring biometric solution kits in preparation for voter registration.
IEBC is in the final stages of securing 9, 750 voter registration kits.
“The commission is concluding the tender and is currently carrying out due diligence on the technicality of qualified firms,” IEBC said in a letter to Indian High Commissioner.
In the letter, CEO James Oswago noted that one of the firms qualified is from India and is called 4G Identity Solutions Private Limited.
The commission wrote to confirm the existence of the firm, nature of business it carries, financial capabilities, legal status and litigation history if any.
Another firm that qualified was Symphony, a Kenyan company based in Nairobi. The Registrar of Companies noted that Symphony Limited was registered as a private company on October 15, 1986.
In a letter by State Counsel Wilson Rading for Registrar of Companies, it was noted that the company has three directors. Twenty-eight companies tendered to supply Biometric Voter Registration.
The kits accurately capture unique physical features of an individual in addition to his democratic data. The system seeks to curb double voter registration as well as prevent incidences of voter fraud.
Countries such as Nigeria, Ghana and Democratic Republic of Congo have already adopted the fingerprint scanning technology to help prevent electoral fraud.
Like Kenya, these countries share a history of double voter registration, and varying levels of disputes about election results.
Even though Ghana’s 2008 elections were deemed free and fair by international observers, politicians expressed concern about foreign and underage voters.
However, the two companies that qualified for the tender have been dogged with controversies.
Political sanity
4G Identity Solutions was rated poorly during preliminary evaluation due to lack of experience and lack of solid financial base.
Symphony on the other hand was shortlisted despite the fact that its ownership is shared with Computer Applications Ltd, a company blacklisted by Parliament from doing any business with the Government in mid 1990’s. It was equally rated poorly for lack of experience, capacity and competence in carrying out Biometric Voter Registration.
Meanwhile, the National, Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC) will monitor political parties in the run up to General Election.
The commission said this will be a stopgap measure to maintain political sanity. “This is meant to protect political integrity of the various politicians and their party,” said commissioner Lawrence Bomett.
Bomett said although political parties were free to compete in elections, they must safeguard peace at all costs. “The commission shall grab any opportunity to preach peace throughout the country and everywhere including in political party platforms, but this will not compromise our integrity to political inclinations,” said Bomett in Eldoret. [/blockquote] |
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Post by kamalet on Jun 11, 2012 13:56:50 GMT 3
Phil
Who are the other firms pre-qualified or is it just these two?
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Post by phil on Jun 11, 2012 17:25:05 GMT 3
Phil Who are the other firms pre-qualified or is it just these two? It is only these two well connected firms.....and in this case 'pre-qualification' does not arise. It is simply a matter of awarding the contract. |
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Post by job on Jun 11, 2012 20:41:17 GMT 3
Isn't there enough evidence of advance rigging already!Tendering for Electronic Voting Equipment1) Out of 28 shortlisted applicants, of the two companies awarded the tender by IEBC, the first – Symphony Limited, is part of the Symphony Group owned by the notorious KANU/NARC era Anglo-Fleecer called Horatius Da Gama Rose. These are the kinds of shady characters that Isaack Hassan’s IEBC is now doing the sensitive and paramount business of elections with! Da Gama Rose was adversely mentioned in the Kroll Report, Anglo-Leasing scam and other grand scams.2) With pressure from State House, IEBC has awarded this Anglo-Fleecer the USD47million tender for biometric voter registration. It is an open secret that like the Grand Regency scam, NSIS operatives were part and parcel of the invisible hand pushing through these deals – through lobbyists stationed at Anniversary Towers & others following the tender evaluation process at Naivasha. The covert eyes of State House followed this tendering process all the way. 3) While the German collaborators of Symphony (called Dermog Identification Systems) may be technically competent, the local (Anglo-Fleecer) component of this collaboration makes the entire deal stink. Even this Standard newspaper article (posted above) specifically points out that the local arm – Computer Applications Ltd, was besides being pin-pointed for inexperience, incompetence and lack of capacity; also blacklisted by Parliament from doing any business with the Kenyan government (due to corruption).4) The second company awarded part of the tender - 4G Identity Solutions (4G) is an Indian-based company also associated with State House – allegedly through Jimmy Kibaki. You begin to smell the coffee right here! Besides financial kick-backs, what is the real interest of State House in supplying electoral equipment? This question raises a lot of suspicion and I wonder whether Isaack Hassan, his fellow IEBC Commissioners, and the Secretariat (led by CEO Oswago) have not pondered over this explosive matter. Was money poured to buy all these souls?5) 4G was rated poorly during preliminary evaluation due to lack of experience and lack of solid financial base. But then out of the blue, it offered USD 44.98 million (about Shs 3.8 billion) as their tender sum. In awarding this tender, IEBC violated the procurement law by way of overlooking 4G’s inferior quality. An appeal should be lodged with the PPOA. 6) There is a real issue about Indian technology for election systems generally – here’s an unbiased view:www.facebook.com/notes/ifes/secur....ed/434951141055But 4G is on record having been pin-pointed for lacking the technical expertise required for this paramount job. Isn’t IEBC courting a catastrophe of enormous proportions with such recklessness? State House and Treasury Interest7) In evaluating these developments, strange things seem to be cooking around the relationship between government and IEBC. While on one hand, Treasury is cutting half the IEBC budget – government operatives have still managed to manipulate internal tendering (for voting equipment) within IEBC. This is the hallmark of control; or lack of independence. It is in fact a mockery of the word “Independent” as in “I” in the acronym IEBC ( Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission). 8) The reason for Treasury’s cut of IEBC’s budget (which was nevertheless exaggerated) is (in my view) – the government (specifically State House) does not intend to finance the doubling of polling stations across the country from about 20,000 last time, to 44,000. There is an official voter suppression program being effected using Treasury’s control of funding for IEBC. Since voters will this time take longer voting for many officials (President, Vice President, Governor, Senator, MP, Assembly Reps, etc…) the only solution to reduce a stalemate of long lines is to increase polling stations. Treasury is deliberately refusing to fund the extra polling stations. Folks, prepare for long voter lines which won’t move… prepare for millions being locked out…a massive voter suppression project is likely underway. Isn’t this a clear red flag suggesting a systemic form of rigging? Coupled with the suspicious characters (& State House connections) to suppliers of electronic voting equipment – aren’t these enough signs of advance rigging?
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Post by phil on Jun 12, 2012 14:35:31 GMT 3
Well said job. Eti borrow equipment from Uganda? Is that about to be approved by the Uganda parliament? Or is it just IEBC trying to pull a blackmail for more funds? |
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Post by raiswakesho on Jun 12, 2012 19:15:59 GMT 3
Hassan should come back to planet earth and stop taking us for a ride. Renting electonic voting machines is a NO NO.
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Post by phil on Jun 19, 2012 17:01:02 GMT 3
IEBC to award Sh3.4 billion voters’ roll contract
Sunday, 17 June 2012 23:42 BY WALTER MENYA and MOSOKU GEOFFREY
The winner of the multi-billion tender to supply the Independent Electoral and Boundary Commission with Biometric Voter Registration kits and Automated Finger Identification System is likely to be known this week. The tender, considered a high-sensitive security contract, has generated immense interest with rival firms attacking each other through the media.
IEBC is set to begin registering an estimated 18 million voters countrywide in preparation for the next general election which it has scheduled for March 4, 2013.The registration will comprise taking the biometric features of all eligible voters, including 10 finger prints and facial features, which will be used to identify them at polling stations.
The anticipated announcement of the winner follows due diligence visits by IEBC officials to the Indian 4G Identity Solutions and Kenyan Symphony, that are primed to win the tender. IEBC says integrity issues raised about 4G for the Sh3.4 billion tender for the BVR kits have been addressed.
In addition, Symphony whose turnover is estimated at $350 million, denied reports that portrayed it as financially incapable of undertaking the contract. Symphony further says it has adequate training capacity and denied that one of its affiliate firms, CAL, has been been blacklisted. IEBC shortlisted four firms namely 4G Identity Solutions which quoted Sh3.76 billion, OnTrack from Israel with Sh8.31billion, FaceTech from South Africa with a price tag of Sh4.63 billion, and Symphony from Kenya with a bid of Sh3.98billion. The companies were invited to Naivasha to demonstrate their ability to deliver, finance, train and commission the BVR.
The commission's vice chair Lilian Mahiri-Zaja said an eight-member team from IEBC which recently travelled to India on a due diligence mission established that 4G Identity Solutions has been cleared. “There were reports especially in the media that 4G had been blacklisted in India and thus the team had to travel, they found that the issues had been cleared,” Mahiri-Zaja said.
IEBC wrote to 4G and sought to visit their headquarters in Hyderabad, India and the eight who included five from IEBC, two from UNDP and one from IFES went to India between June 8 and 11. She said the team will hand over its report to the tender committee this week. The technical committee report will form the basis of the awarding of the tender. The tender committee is headed by Praxedes Tororey who is the director of legal affairs at IEBC.
Mahiri-Zaja yesterday said IEBC commissioners will not interfere with the work of the tender committee and therefore cannot reveal which firm will get the tender. Those who travelled to India from IEBC included Decimal Isalano (director Research and development), Dismas Ong'ondi (director ICT), Edward Kenga Karisa (director Finance and procurement), Abdrihaman Bilacha (director Risk and Compliance) and Godfrey Lemiso (Manager Logistics). They were accompanied by Margaret Mbugua (Procurement UNDP), Farhad Toghisu (IT associate UNDP) and Moses Owuor (IFES).
Yesterday, 4G Identity solutions chairman and CEO Sreeni Tripuraneni who is in the country to attend a bidders' conference for the Kenya Airports Authority tender said his company conducted itself above board and denied seeking the influence of certain people in government and private businesses to get the contract. Symphony has also denied that certain powerful people in the government are pushing for it to get the contract. “We are owned 100 per cent by Da Gama Rose family. All our business is legitimate and we have never asked of favours from any government quarters, including State House,” a senior manager of Symphony told the Star.
Tripuraneni said he is not aware of a May 29, 2012 letter by India's Planning Commission seeking to terminate an ID issuance contract issued by Unique Identification Authority of India. The Commission in a letter (No. 4(4)/57/101/UIDAI-2011) gave 4G Identity until June 16 to show cause why the contract should not be terminated for breach of the terms by sub-contracting to other entities.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs had also advised IEBC not to engage in any business with the Indian firm. “We write to inform you that Kenya Mission in New Delhi has conducted preliminary due diligence based on the five areas listed in the letter under the reference. The Mission has requested us to convey their strong their strong advice that their findings indicate the above mentioned entity should not be allowed to enter into any business transaction with any government institution in Kenya,” John Lanyasunya, who heads the directorate of Asia and Australasia wrote to IEBC on May 31 on behalf of Foreign Affairs PS Thuita Mwangi.
4G Identity solutions' representative in Kenya Simon Yatich accused the firm's rivals of spreading reports that they had been blacklisted in India. “If you want to kill a dog give it a bad name,” Yatich said. Yatich said 4G followed due process while bidding for the tender and wondered why the credibility queries were arising now. “All the four firms which had been shortlisted from 29 had an opportunity to demonstrate their ability to the technical team that met in Naivasha. After that we received a letter from IEBC who wanted to travel to India for due diligence and that has been done,” he said. |
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Post by job on Jun 19, 2012 17:41:24 GMT 3
IEBC to award Sh3.4 billion voters’ roll contract
Sunday, 17 June 2012 23:42 BY WALTER MENYA and MOSOKU GEOFFREY
The winner of the multi-billion tender to supply the Independent Electoral and Boundary Commission with Biometric Voter Registration kits and Automated Finger Identification System is likely to be known this week. The tender, considered a high-sensitive security contract, has generated immense interest with rival firms attacking each other through the media.
IEBC is set to begin registering an estimated 18 million voters countrywide in preparation for the next general election which it has scheduled for March 4, 2013.The registration will comprise taking the biometric features of all eligible voters, including 10 finger prints and facial features, which will be used to identify them at polling stations.
The anticipated announcement of the winner follows due diligence visits by IEBC officials to the Indian 4G Identity Solutions and Kenyan Symphony, that are primed to win the tender. IEBC says integrity issues raised about 4G for the Sh3.4 billion tender for the BVR kits have been addressed.
In addition, Symphony whose turnover is estimated at $350 million, denied reports that portrayed it as financially incapable of undertaking the contract. Symphony further says it has adequate training capacity and denied that one of its affiliate firms, CAL, has been been blacklisted. IEBC shortlisted four firms namely 4G Identity Solutions which quoted Sh3.76 billion, OnTrack from Israel with Sh8.31billion, FaceTech from South Africa with a price tag of Sh4.63 billion, and Symphony from Kenya with a bid of Sh3.98billion. The companies were invited to Naivasha to demonstrate their ability to deliver, finance, train and commission the BVR.
The commission's vice chair Lilian Mahiri-Zaja said an eight-member team from IEBC which recently travelled to India on a due diligence mission established that 4G Identity Solutions has been cleared. “There were reports especially in the media that 4G had been blacklisted in India and thus the team had to travel, they found that the issues had been cleared,” Mahiri-Zaja said.
IEBC wrote to 4G and sought to visit their headquarters in Hyderabad, India and the eight who included five from IEBC, two from UNDP and one from IFES went to India between June 8 and 11. She said the team will hand over its report to the tender committee this week. The technical committee report will form the basis of the awarding of the tender. The tender committee is headed by Praxedes Tororey who is the director of legal affairs at IEBC.
Mahiri-Zaja yesterday said IEBC commissioners will not interfere with the work of the tender committee and therefore cannot reveal which firm will get the tender. Those who travelled to India from IEBC included Decimal Isalano (director Research and development), Dismas Ong'ondi (director ICT), Edward Kenga Karisa (director Finance and procurement), Abdrihaman Bilacha (director Risk and Compliance) and Godfrey Lemiso (Manager Logistics). They were accompanied by Margaret Mbugua (Procurement UNDP), Farhad Toghisu (IT associate UNDP) and Moses Owuor (IFES).
Yesterday, 4G Identity solutions chairman and CEO Sreeni Tripuraneni who is in the country to attend a bidders' conference for the Kenya Airports Authority tender said his company conducted itself above board and denied seeking the influence of certain people in government and private businesses to get the contract. Symphony has also denied that certain powerful people in the government are pushing for it to get the contract. “We are owned 100 per cent by Da Gama Rose family. All our business is legitimate and we have never asked of favours from any government quarters, including State House,” a senior manager of Symphony told the Star.
Tripuraneni said he is not aware of a May 29, 2012 letter by India's Planning Commission seeking to terminate an ID issuance contract issued by Unique Identification Authority of India. The Commission in a letter (No. 4(4)/57/101/UIDAI-2011) gave 4G Identity until June 16 to show cause why the contract should not be terminated for breach of the terms by sub-contracting to other entities.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs had also advised IEBC not to engage in any business with the Indian firm. “We write to inform you that Kenya Mission in New Delhi has conducted preliminary due diligence based on the five areas listed in the letter under the reference. The Mission has requested us to convey their strong their strong advice that their findings indicate the above mentioned entity should not be allowed to enter into any business transaction with any government institution in Kenya,” John Lanyasunya, who heads the directorate of Asia and Australasia wrote to IEBC on May 31 on behalf of Foreign Affairs PS Thuita Mwangi.
4G Identity solutions' representative in Kenya Simon Yatich accused the firm's rivals of spreading reports that they had been blacklisted in India. “If you want to kill a dog give it a bad name,” Yatich said. Yatich said 4G followed due process while bidding for the tender and wondered why the credibility queries were arising now. “All the four firms which had been shortlisted from 29 had an opportunity to demonstrate their ability to the technical team that met in Naivasha. After that we received a letter from IEBC who wanted to travel to India for due diligence and that has been done,” he said. I'm noticing a few things here: 1) An IEBC commissioner (Mahiri Zaja) engaging in a PR show prior to announcing the final tender. In the process, trying to lay soft ground for the anticipated "announcement"...while at the same time trying to distance the Coimmissioners from "decisions of the tender committee". With alacrity, a lot of concerns previously raised here at JUKWAA are being addressed almost in a point-by-point format. 2) It is clear IEBC wanted (in this PR exercise) to clear any integrity questions about the Indian firm, 4G Identity Solutions; ensure the public was told there was no link between State House and the Symphony Group; showcase that these two companies (above) had the lowest financial bids; and inform the public that due diligence (including trip to India) had been done. 3) But IEBC forgot one thing. IEBC is probably assuming Kenyans take the Da Gama Rose family as pious philanthropists - not the super corrupt Anglo-Fleecers featuring prominently in the Kroll report. These are questions to be answered directly by IEBC. Why award an Anglo Fleecer such a sensitive and huge contract? These are entities with a well catalogued history of harbouring faceless "ghost" partners. Who are the real owners of this Symphony group? ALL of them should be listed...the 100% Da Gama Rose proxy doesn't cut it!!!! 4) Not only State House and NSIS involvement, but the direct fingerprints of a former corrupt and controversial Boundary Review Commissioner have been conspicuously noted in the process of awarding this contract....the latter's links are well represented in the tender committee's leadership, and in a local representative of one of the shortlisted companies. This choreography has also been noted. 5) I frankly think IEBC is putting its credibility in the line...and should brace for a thorough audit and review of this entire process. The next elections must not be subjected to casual and cantankerous shenanigans. Shame on these reckless and corrupt folks. Awaiting the so called formal decision! |
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Post by job on Jul 6, 2012 22:13:31 GMT 3
Just when I thought IEBC would be announcing the Anglo-Fleecers as the winners of the electronic voter systems contract...then conspicuous silence!!!!! Kwani what happened? Insider-dealings and dangerous vested interests can seriously taint the tendering process of sensitive contracts. IEBC must therefore not play with fire. The nation has watched them fumble along a path littered with temptations; a path that if not handled cautiously, might land Kenya in turmoil. IEBC Commissioners and Secretariat must know they are being watched very keenly regarding tendering of biometric voter registration systems and other electronic voting materials. Every Tom, Dick and Harry has by now seen how determined certain elements within IEBC pushed for the 4G and Symphony contracts. Midnight dances and pacts were clearly made with Anglo-Fleecers and their State House brokers and relations. After valid querries were raised, we can see the IEBC has started angling for yet another acrobatic stunt. They seem to have developed cold feet regarding the tender (earmarked for the Anglo-Fleecers); and latched onto the next palm-greaser based in South Africa. The latter company’s reputation isn’t inspiring either. They have a bad history of tender malpractices across Southern Africa. allafrica.com/stories/201202211048.htmlThis cold determination to loot from every contract – even those pertaining to elections – might land us in deep trouble. For how many times will IEBC officials be reminded to forget about ‘eating’ or taking sides openly from this sensitive matter of the next elections. Can they just focus in ensuring a free and fair election? That means keeping off NSIS meddlers and State House brokers away from their premises. Without total independence, there can be no guarantee to overseeing free and fair elections! |
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Post by Omwenga on Jul 7, 2012 13:53:14 GMT 3
Just when I thought IEBC would be announcing the Anglo-Fleecers as the winners of the electronic voter systems contract...then conspicuous silence!!!!! Kwani what happened? Insider-dealings and dangerous vested interests can seriously taint the tendering process of sensitive contracts. IEBC must therefore not play with fire. The nation has watched them fumble along a path littered with temptations; a path that if not handled cautiously, might land Kenya in turmoil. IEBC Commissioners and Secretariat must know they are being watched very keenly regarding tendering of biometric voter registration systems and other electronic voting materials. Every Tom, Dick and Harry has by now seen how determined certain elements within IEBC pushed for the 4G and Symphony contracts. Midnight dances and pacts were clearly made with Anglo-Fleecers and their State House brokers and relations. After valid querries were raised, we can see the IEBC has started angling for yet another acrobatic stunt. They seem to have developed cold feet regarding the tender (earmarked for the Anglo-Fleecers); and latched onto the next palm-greaser based in South Africa. The latter company’s reputation isn’t inspiring either. They have a bad history of tender malpractices across Southern Africa. allafrica.com/stories/201202211048.htmlThis cold determination to loot from every contract – even those pertaining to elections – might land us in deep trouble. For how many times will IEBC officials be reminded to forget about ‘eating’ or taking sides openly from this sensitive matter of the next elections. Can they just focus in ensuring a free and fair election? That means keeping off NSIS meddlers and State House brokers away from their premises. Without total independence, there can be no guarantee to overseeing free and fair elections! This is one process and implementation we cannot let up in monitoring even for a moment how it's being undertaken and I am sure they know there are flies on the walls that can tell the story but this time long before irreparable harm is done. |
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Post by job on Jul 10, 2012 8:48:54 GMT 3
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Post by phil on Jul 13, 2012 16:49:12 GMT 3
IEBC is now running around like a headless chicken playing dangerous pata potea games with Kenya's critical electoral process. Thanks to Jukwaa and other people who've kept on top of this irregularity at IEBC, this deal will not see light of day!! Just as we predicted here in Jukwaa, the Commission now finds itself between a rock and a hard place after disregarding procurement regulations and mismanaging the procurement process right from the start. The commission thought that State House would protect it to stage manage another bloodless coup by mismanaging elections. Times have changed. Individuals within the IEBC have vested interest in this lucrative tender and politicians know this very well entertaining IEBC staff and commissioners in five star hotels all in effort to win this tender. Politicians want to win political power by any means including electoral malpractices. Now, strangely enough, all top 5 ranked firms (the ones which are the "best" in the eyes of the IEBC) cannot pass the test and the IEBC is trying to pre-empt a cancellation of the deal by the PPOA by seeking an advance endorsement from the PPOA before they award to their cowbow contractors. Remember the original list comprised of about 80 firms and it is not rocket science that globally only about 5 of those companies can deliver a workable solution for Kenya. None of these proven firms were ever shortlisted by IEBC. Me thinks the best is to cancel and re-tender a fresh. Re-tender and follow the law, Bw. Oswago and Bw Isaak Hassan. Instead of asking the PPOA for basic guidance on procuring voter kits, they should quit and let other qualified Kenyans take us to the next level. Questions raised over major IEBC tender deal
Updated Thursday, July 12 2012 at 22:20 GMT+3
By Peter Opiyo
A row has emerged about the tendering process for the purchase of 9,750 Biometric Voter Registration kits for the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC).
At the centre of the controversy is the recommendation to award the tender to a company that quoted a price above IEBC’s budget and also ranked third in a list of four companies shortlisted.
According to correspondence seen by The Standard, the Tender Committee recommended that Face Technologies be allowed to supply the kits at Sh4.78 billion above IEBC’s budget of Sh3.97 billion, about Sh810.7 million above the budget.
The documents show 4G Identity Solution was ranked first after quoting Sh3.72 billion, followed by Africa Symphony at Sh3.85 billion, Face Technologies was third while On Track Innovations was ranked fourth at Sh8.22 billion.
The Re-evaluation Committee was constituted at the request of the Tender Committee after it rejected the report by the Evaluation Team.
The Re-evaluation Committee that included experts from development partners gave its report to the Tender Committee on July 2. The Tender Committee then sent its decision preferring Face Technologies to IEBC CEO James Oswago.
“The (Tender) Committee in its conclusion recommended Face Technologies be awarded the tender and at the same time rejected the very idea of preference and its application to the relevant case,” states one of the documents.
Consequently, Mr Oswago has written to the Public Procurement Oversight Authority (PPOA) seeking advice on the matter.
Among the questions asked by the CEO are whether it is prudent to award the tender to a firm that was ranked third, and quoted way above the IEBC’s budget and whether the decision of the Tender Committee is justified.
“Can a tender committee make an award to a company not recommended by the Evaluation Team, and if so, in what circumstances and are these relevant to the current case,” Oswago’s letter reads in part.
He also questions whether it is right for the Tender Committee to undertake the role of Evaluation Committee. [/blockquote] |
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Post by job on Jul 13, 2012 17:05:06 GMT 3
Phil et al.,
This is what you get when the "I" in IEBC is not Independent after all. Political interference from State House (& threats with AP guns) is what led Kivuitu into his current isolation and destitution.
I can see signs that Isaack Hassan is directly following those footsteps. IEBC is not independent, but acting at the whims of folks who care less about integrity, credibility, or the future well-being of current commissioners and staffers.
This election is being watched very closely world over. It's time these IEBC commissioners and staffers know they've been watched very closely for a very long time - at home and abroad. It is sensitive and paramount roles such as effective management of a biometric voter register tender that shows whether an electoral body is truly independent.
When signs of lacking independence emerge - the weak-spots inviting such manipulation can easily be pin-pointed. In this case, it is not a single source - but rather an unholy alliance of insiders.
All that these folks need to do is gather the courage to do what the Ghanaian and Guinean electoral bodies did - fiercely remain independent - and they will have played their patriotic tour of duty to the nation. The rest will follow. Anything else leads to doom.
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Post by job on Jul 16, 2012 23:15:30 GMT 3
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Post by phil on Jul 19, 2012 19:46:50 GMT 3
Look at the circus show the IEBC is putting up`with voter registration kits, ati "IEBC rejects lowest bid for biometric voter kits!!!!" - the lowest and the best value for money bidder as adjudged months ago by IEBC itself prequalified and shortlisted as the best from among dozens of multinationals that bid for the project, now rejected by the same IEBC. It's just pathetic! This entire commission should just resign. Thank you PPOA for rejecting the tricks of Mr. Hassan and Mr. Oswago who wanted to preempt nullification by asking for your approval in advance. The process has already been declared irregular by the PPOA but yet still the IEBC does not still get it. They want to create an emergency situation where cabinet will most likely approve an single sourcing to avoid the electoral process getting into a crisis. It's quite distressing that this is happening in the next election after the disaster that was 2007 by the ECK. Due dilligence is not a smart thing to do now given from among the next prequalified firms, one finds the Kamlesh Pattnis and DaGama Roses of Kenya. This thread will be used as reference in the years to come to learn how IEBC and in particlar Chairman Isaac Hassan disgraced himself and shagged Kenyans when he was given the opportunity to make the mark of a life time. We said it!
IEBC rejects lowest bid for biometric voter kits
Posted by LORDRICK MAYABI on July 19, 2012
Due diligence on the next lowest evaluated bidder will be done/FILE
NAIROBI, Kenya, Jul 19 – The process of registering voters ahead of the next general elections is facing undue delay after the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) declined to award the tender for the Biometric Voter Registration kits to the lowest evaluated bidder.
The evaluation committee had recommended 4G Identity Solution Pvt Limited in time for voter registration to start this month but the process hangs in the balance following intrigues within the commission over the Sh3.9 billion tender.
A statement from the Commission’s Chief Executive officer James Oswago said that an Independent team had been appointed to undertake due diligence on the next lowest evaluated bidder, Africa Symphony, as per the provision of Regulation 52(2) of the Public Procurement and Disposal Regulations, 2006.
“The tender committee, having considered all pertinent documents, including the results of the due diligence on the lowest evaluated bidder, that is 4G Identity Solution Pvt. Limited, has decided not to award the tender for the Biometric Voter Registration kits to the lowest evaluated bidder, that is 4G Identity Solution Pvt Limited, as recommended by the evaluation committee,†read the statement from Oswago.
The new tender team chaired by Immaculate Kassait met the evaluation committee on Wednesday but they also failed to reach consensus on the way forward.
The IEBC has been at the centre of the controversy after the former committee decided to award the tender to a company that had quoted a price above IEBC budget, and which was ranked third of four companies shortlisted.
The row over the purchase of the 9,750 Biometric Voter Registration kits has sent fresh fears of delays in the electoral process, with the IEBC bosses admitting registration of voters, which was to take off in mid-next month will now be pushed to early September due to the imminent delay in acquisition of the kit.
The Public Procurement Oversight Authority (PPOA) has also questioned the manner the tendering process was undertaken.
PPOA Director-General Maurice Juma is reported to have written to Oswago questioning why the tender committee resigned.
Earlier on Thursday, the European Union Ambassador called for the speedy resolution of the tendering row at the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission, which could threaten preparations towards next March general election.
“We hope that they (IEBC) are doing their to resolve the issue best to save the process, we have very strict rules in terms of procurement in the EU member states and it will be a pity if the decision is further postponed,†he said.
“Frankly, the IEBC has done very well looking at the way they handled the boundary issue, but we need a speedy resolution to this one,†he added.
Speaking after a two-hour meeting with National Assembly Speaker Kenneth Marende, EU Head of Delegation to Kenya Lodewijk Briet hailed the setting up of a new tender board to resolve the crisis over the Sh3.9 billion voter registration kits contract.
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Post by phil on Jul 20, 2012 12:19:43 GMT 3
News Breaking: 2nd lowest bidder Symphony Africa of Kenya is announced as the winner of the controversial multi-million dollar tender to supply voter registration equipment!
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Post by nok on Jul 20, 2012 12:46:21 GMT 3
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Post by job on Jul 20, 2012 15:41:21 GMT 3
News Breaking: 2nd lowest bidder Symphony Africa of Kenya is announced as the winner of the controversial multi-million dollar tender to supply voter registration equipment!
I had a queer feeling IEBC wouldn't give qualms about Anglo-Fleecers being awarded the tender to supply our electronic voter equipment!There you have it. They just did it. Its the Da Gama Roses and Kamlesh Pattnis, acting at the behest of the Mary Wambuis and Michael Gichangis (who gave us UDF) who've been 'trusted' with the sensitive tender of supplying Kenya's voting equipment for the next general elections. How audacious! What temerity do these fellas have? Isaack Hassan and his secretariat and commission should be grossly ashamed of themselves. they're giving a company (whose directors) were already blacklisted from doing business with government. After all, this company's history trails back to one - Computer Applications Ltd (CAL) - the same firm blacklisted by GoK in 1990s for supplying obsolete IBM computer frames to Treasury. CAL directors - through proxy - have morphed into Symphony in a bid to avoid nabbing by due diligence ...but the trail always leaves trace evidence. I've suspected we are yet to feel the full impact of drug money infiltrating our politics and governance. I have a feeling Mutahi Ngunyi was (for once) right about certain goings-on within and around State House. Our next President may be selected by a small oligarchy; rather than elected by the millions of Kenyans. I ominously smell more instability ahead. |
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Post by phil on Jul 20, 2012 16:37:08 GMT 3
Sources indicate NSIS warns of dire consequenses should the IEBC award the tender to Symphony Africa.
Same sources now say official announcement for award has been withheld following NSIS warning suspected to emanate from huge social media backlash following rumours early today of the award to Symphony.....with very powerful connections to State House.
The Tender Committee is now in consultations as the country totters on an electoral cliff edge.
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Post by job on Jul 20, 2012 16:48:28 GMT 3
Sources indicate NSIS warns of dire consequenses should the IEBC award the tender to Symphony Africa.
Same sources now say official announcement for award has been withheld following NSIS warning suspected to emanate from huge social media backlash following rumours early today of the award to Symphony.....with very powerful connections to State House.
The Tender Committee is now in consultations as the country totters on an electoral cliff edge. Has any media outlet captured these developments yet? |
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Post by phil on Jul 20, 2012 17:27:08 GMT 3
job, individual journalists from NMG, RMS, K-24, etc have all the info, twitter is abuzz, but one wonders why media are not formally reporting.
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Post by Titchaz on Jul 22, 2012 5:26:45 GMT 3
Questions persist over ownership and name of company bidding to supply polls material PHOTO | STEPHEN MUDIARI | NATION Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission officials during the launch of a new logo for the commission last week. The team will oversee the next General Election By ISAAC ONGIRI iongiri@ke.natiomedia.com Posted Saturday, July 21 2012 at 23:30 Questions are being raised over past records, political connections and ownership of a local company cleared by the electoral commission for the award of a lucrative Sh3.9 billion Biometric Voter Registration (BVR) tender.Confusion has also emerged over the correct name of Symphony, the company set to undergo due diligence for the BVR tender, prompting the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) to write to the Registrar of Companies to seek clarity. Documents in our possession, including correspondence by commission officials, show the IEBC referring to the company as Africa Symphony, but the company’s managing director, Mr Rajender Singh Sachdeva, yesterday told the Sunday Nation the company is officially registered as Systems Integrations Limited. “We are also surprised that the IEBC and the media have been referring to us as Africa Symphony which is wrong. Our business name is Symphony, but we are registered as Systems Integrations Limited,” Mr Sachdeva said. The official confirmed that Symphony is the holding name for three amalgamated business entities, namely Legends Computer, CAL Microsystems and San Microsystems, all owned by Systems Integrations Limited. New committeeRevelations that the company had been indicted by a Public Accounts Committee (PAC) whose report was tabled in Parliament in 1994 also came to the fore even as the IEBC picked a new committee to scrutinise it. Also in question is the company’s liquidity and experience in handling the magnitude of tasks in the range of billions of shillings that will come with the IEBC tender and its ability to deliver on the specific BVR requirements, including the nature of security concerns. In the 1994 report, the PAC had ruled that money paid to Computer Applications Limited (CAL), one of the companies that was later amalgamated with other entities to form Symphony, be recovered and the firm blocked from undertaking further government projects for performing poorly. “The committee was also concerned that despite Computer Applications Limited’s poor performance record in the past, the government has continued to award the company other contracts through single sourcing,” reads the report. But Mr Sachdeva yesterday denied that Symphony or any of his business titles had been blacklisted for any reasons by any government agencies or Parliament, adding that the initial PAC recommendations were waived after a Treasury memorandum exonerated them. However, he confirmed that CAL featured on the PAC report over an audit query raised in the 1990s on a tender for the computerisation of Customs and Excise Department, now Kenya Revenue Authority. “It is true that in 1993/1994 CAL, one of the companies under Symphony, featured in a PAC report but we were later cleared,” Mr Sachdeva said. The parliamentary committee had charged that CAL had failed to complete some projects for which it had tendered but the Treasury ruled that there was no grounds on which to blacklist the company and subsequent parliamentary reports lifted the ban, he said. “These issues have come up and some people have sent documents to the IEBC in their bid to undercut us but the truth is available for free,” Mr Sachdeva said. On the identity question, investigations by the Sunday Nation established that there are two companies registered as Symphony Limited, one under certificate of registration number C-55477 and another with the same name; different directors but under registration number C 32988. Responding to an inquiry by Mombasa- based lawyers Kilonzo and Aziz Advocates on June 5, State counsel Wilson Rading, writing on behalf of the Registrar of Companies, indicated that there are two companies operating under the name Symphony Limited. “The above matter and your letter dated 30th May 2012 refers. Symphony Limited was registered as a private company on 15th October 1986 as registration number C32988,” Mr Rading wrote. He listed the directors as Mr Sanjay Dipak Kumar Dev, Archanana Shirazali Hasham and Arpana Sunil Kumar Sarkar Another letter written on the same day by the same official reads: “Symphony Limited was registered as a private company on 1st September 1993 as registration number C-55477.” He listed the owners as Highway Nominees Limited registered under certificate number C-47670 and Appointee Limited C-48621. It was unclear for what reasons Kilonzo and Aziz Advocates had sought details of the company registered as Symphony Limited. But when the Sunday Nation visited the registrar of companies to verify ownership of Africa Symphony, as Mr Rajender’s company is referred to by the IEBC, the clerk did not find the files. Mr Sachdeva said Symphony had instructed its lawyers to write to the registrar and demand deregistration of the two companies sharing its business name. Former VPMr Sachdeva also denied the company was politically connected and explained that though former Vice-President Moody Awori was previously a director of one of its entities, he had resigned several years ago. A son of a prominent politician and the name of a high-flying and political activist have been associated with the IEBC tender. According to Mr Sachdeva, the company’s current directors are Mr Fernando Da Gama Rose, Mr Horatius Da Gama Rose and himself. Asked whether Symphony owns its own independent solution to develop the software for the election project, Mr Sachdeva said they will rely on a German partner with an efficient solution to deliver the project if they win the tender. “We have a network of reliable international partners to rely on. In this case we shall partner with a German company Dermalogue to deliver an efficient solution for us if we win this tender,” the Symphony boss said. Complaints have also been raised over the company’s experience in handling the sensitive BVR tender and its liquidity but the MD said they will deliver if they win, adding that Symphony is worth more than $200 million (about Sh17 billion). On Friday, IEBC wrote to KRA, the National Security Intelligence Service and the ministry of Foreign Affairs seeking information on Symphony, as part of its due diligence. “We have also written to the registrar to confirm the name of the company which is a normal procedure that we must undertake,” said IEBC Chief Executive Officer James Oswago. Mr Oswago said the commission will stick to the law in addressing all the issues that may be raised, but maintained that procurement laws did not allow commission officials to discuss confidential evaluation issues in public. The IEBC chairman, Mr Ahmed Issack Hassan, said commissioners would not discuss the tender in the press. The committee conducting due diligence is set to start work on Tuesday and may travel to Germany to visit the company developing the software solution that Symphony intends to use. www.nation.co.ke/News/Queries+over+firm+picked+for+Sh4+billion+poll+tender/-/1056/1460418/-/item/0/-/bardtsz/-/index.html |
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Post by jakaswanga on Jul 24, 2012 20:48:22 GMT 3
job, individual journalists from NMG, RMS, K-24, etc have all the info, twitter is abuzz, but one wonders why media are not formally reporting. This is why I have a theory about the Miguna saga, and why it has so gone viral. Escapism. It is a welcome comic relief, an opportunity for some universally shared entertainment, a distraction from the elephant in the room. Yap, Unease abouth the next election. The next elections, decisive, are likely to be botched by a collection of factors every thinking Kenyan can enumerate. The consequences of that botching is what we, as a nation, do not want to think about. We have a very fine idea of what they be. Methinks a(foolproof??) biometric system has nothing to do with rigging or not rigging. I do not think it discourages, makes less likely, or exposes more easily the irregularities. The last election did not flounder on the falsifiability of IDs! Further, a look around the world reveals elections are actually a very old thing, and some countries have been doing them for over a century without irregularities nor indefinite results, independent of technological wizzkidry. Rigging elections is a conscious human effort. Deliberately executed. If men in power decide they can fiddle and it is worth their while, they will fiddle: it is called a coup. Nobody will rig elections if he does not assume the power of the security forces to enforce it. One wil have to explain why the British who, as they left their colonies around the world, organized the last known non-rigged elections in most of those countries, delivered undisputed results with such low technology. --Not to mention in their own country too. No, I think in Kenya we have a very powerful vested interest bent on rigging the elections. Therefore the solution lies elsewhere, not in this monstrosity called biometric something. This tendering process is merely a method to steal money for well-connected corrupt people. A ruse.But I like this IEBC: Registering 3 million plus [new youth]; 2 million plus [diaspora], and certifying the other 8 million, is a huge logistic exercise. If I consider the number of man-hours needed to run this process, against the budget and bureaucracy of the IEBC and support ministries, technical and personnel, and I assume maximum efficiency to go with it, I still think I am still looking at a logistical nightmare. And I ask myself, is this a calculated logistical nightmare so that the term of the president and parliament can be extended? A cynical ploy, not just to financially defraud, but also politically defraud the nation? I do not believe in happy endings when every institution tries her best to do wrong! It is all Murphy to me. We have six months to behave. That is really a long time in politics. Enough time to save ourselves. let the gods will it! Nereah wa Amadi: August elections 2013? aren't we talking chaos, also jurisprudentially, as the issue of legitimacy arises? Questions persist over ownership and name of company bidding to supply polls material |
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