Activist Okiya Omtatah moves to halt KPMG voter register audit tender award

Four days after the high court dismissed a case by CORD that was challenging the KPMG tender award for the audit of the voter register, a similar suit has been filed by activist Okiya Omtatah.

In the suit, Omtatah wants IEBC restrained from issuing any award to KPMG or entering into any contract for the audit of the voter resister.

The petitioner argues that the letter dated 2nd of December 2016 by IEBC to KPMG notifying the award for the consultancy services for the Audit of the voter Register was made in violation of Section 6 of the Elections Laws (Amendment) Act, No.36 of 2016.

He says the said award is null and void.

“The purported stakeholders meeting convened by the respondents to discuss the implications of the new election laws and audit of the voter register did not meet the threshold for the consultation and public participation contemplated under the Constitution,’’ reads the petition.

Through lawyer Apollo Mboya, Omtatah is seeking an order directing the respondents within seven days from the order of the court to convene a National Stakeholders meeting with all relevant agencies, organs of the government and political parties to come up with a proper framework, methodology and terms of reference for an audit of the voter register.

In a certificate of urgency, he argues that the audit of the voter register and its authenticity is very crucial to the enjoyment of the political rights under Article 38 of the Constitution.

“The decision by the IEBC is unfair, discriminatory, arbitrary, inconsistent and capricious,” claims Omutatah.

Last week, High Court Judge Chacha Mwita dismissed a similar application filed by opposition citing incompetence.