Former IEBC CEO Ezra Chiloba has absolved himself from blame over the queries raised by the Auditor General on the expenditure of billions of shillings at the poll body.
While appearing before the Public Accounts Committee on Thursday, Chiloba dismissed IEBC Chairman Wafula Chebukati’s reports as skewed and far from the truth.
“This explains why we are where we are. Mr Chairman and members, the loss of Ksh.9billion at IEBC would mean that there was absolutely no money for any of the critical procurements at the commission in the period under review. Nothing could be further from the truth!” Chebukati retorted.
His response comes barely a week, after Chebukati and acting CEO Marjan Hussein Marjan accused him of single-handedly procuring a number of contracts.
“…The issue of direct procurement of KIEMS was extensively discussed at this Committee, I wish to further clarify that the decision to go for direct procurement was a collegiate decision supported at the highest policy level of the Commission. The direct procurement was carried out in accordance with the law…” said Chebukati.
Last month, IEBC Chairman Wafula Chebukati has written to the office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) and the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) to investigate alleged misappropriation of election funds at the commission.
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This follows a report commissioned in April and which was the basis on which the electoral body’s CEO Ezra Chiloba was sent on compulsory leave.
The investigation was meant to confirm if procurement of goods and services for the August 8 General Election and repeat presidential poll was in accordance with procurement laws.
The sourcing of the Ksh.3.8billion Kenya Integrated Elections Management System (KIEMS kit) was one of the biggest controversies.
Opposition MPs claimed that top Jubilee and IEBC officials received a Ksh.200million bribe to award the tender for the 2017 elections to French firm OT Morpho.
At least 45,000 KIEMS kits worth 4.19 billion shillings were procured, with the commission parting with 2.5 billion during the repeat presidential election in October last year.