The Azimio la Umoja One Kenya Coalition, led by Raila Odinga, caused a commotion yesterday by alleging interference in the printing of ballots for this year’s General Election by a close ally of Deputy President William Ruto, whom it accused of having fun with a group of Greek businessmen who won the ballots tender in October last year.
The Odinga campaign claimed that in January of last year, Bungoma Senator Moses Wetang’ula invited three Greek businessmen to Kenya to discuss investment opportunities, and that nine months later, in October of the same year, the same people won a sizable contract from the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) through their firm, Inform Lykos (Hellas) SA Holdings.
The IEBC awarded the Greek company a Sh3 billion contract in October 2021 for the provision and delivery of ballot papers, a printed voter list, statutory election result declaration forms, and election result declaration forms, according to documents. The public is aware that all of the materials will be used in this year’s general election.
Yesterday, the Azimio coalition party, through its secretary-general Junet Mohamed, demanded that the IEBC immediately begin full and thorough investigations into Senator Wetang’ula’s relationship with Inform Lykos (Hellas) SA, as well as that immediate action be taken to protect the General Election from tampering with the voting process.
Mr. Mohamed, who is also the MP for Suna East, added in the demand note that the IEBC should make public any information it has about the steps it has taken to ensure there are no lapses, both logistical and security, in the provision of electoral materials for the General Election.
