NAIROBI, Kenya, Jul 7 – The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) has planned an inspection visit to Greece to witness the printing of presidential ballot papers between July 15 -20 this year.
The Commission Chairperson Wafula Chebukati on Thursday issued the arranged visitation notification to presidential candidates who wish to accompany the Commission to witness the exercise.
“The Commission is informing the country that we are transparent in this process and we have nothing to hide,” Chebukati said.
The Greek printing company, Inform Lykos, whisch has been in the eye of a storm recently after it was linked to having ties with Bungoma Senator Moses Wetangula is printing the more than 200 million ballot papers that will be used in the August high-stake polls.
IEBC paid the company Sh3 billion to print the papers.
Azimio La Umoja One Kenya Alliance has alleged that their Kenya Kwanza Alliance competitors have hatched a plot to rig the August vote by stiffing the ballot paers.
Chebukati has since shrugged off the claims noting that the exercise of printing the ballot papers is above board.
“All ballot papers will come through the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) and not as alleged by some politicians,” Chebukati said.
The Commission on Thursday received the first batch of the ballot papers at JKIA.
The presidential ballot papers will be the last to arrive in the country in July 29, 2022.
Chebukati stressed that the commission will not print any extra ballot papers saying they have only procured 22.1 million ballot papers which is the number or registered voters.
“There are no ballot papers from Uganda or anywhere else. Don’t accept individuals to lie to you. All ballot papers are serialized we are only printing ballot papers to the tune of 22,120,258 million which is the number of registered voters per every elective seat,” Chebukati noted.
IEBC has cleared a total of 16,098 candidates to compete for political seats in the August 9 General Election.
Of these, there is one slot for the four presidential candidates, 290 seats for members of the National Assembly, 1,450 for members of County Assembly, and 47 each for the positions of governor, Woman Representative and Senator.
