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| Ms Tima Mohammed, an IEBC clerk, registers Mr Narottam Khataw (right) using the Biometric Voter Registration |
The gadgets are to be used to train teachers to implement the free laptops project whose implementation will begin in January.
However, the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) has resisted, saying it can only release the computers if the correct transfer of assets procedures are followed. (EDITORIAL: Treasury misses point)
On Tuesday, National Treasury Secretary Henry Rotich told the Nation that his ministry had requested IEBC to surrender the computers lest they become obsolete from disuse.
“Yes I am aware that my ministry has requested the IEBC to surrender the laptops used for the Biometric Voter Registration (BVR) and others used to support the Electronic Voter Identification Devices (EVIDs) because they don’t need them now anyway,” Mr Rotich said.
He said the Treasury had suggested that the commission should only keep a few laptops for use in by-elections.
Said Mr Rotich: “This suggestion has been made to ensure the equipment are put to good use before they are swept under the carpet by emerging technology.”
The laptops will be used to initiate early training for teachers before the arrival of the learners’ laptops which will be launched when schools open in January. “We are not going to distribute these laptops to children but we are going to use them to train instructors before the learning kits arrive,” said Mr Rotich.
But a report prepared by IEBC’s director of information communication technology, Mr Dismas Ong’ondi, on the government request has raised concerns over the demand for the gadgets that cost about Sh8.3 billion.
The 15,000 BVR kits supplied by a French aeronautical firm Safran Morpho cost Sh7.2 billion in a loan obtained from Standard Chartered Bank of London while the EVID tender, which was given to Face Technologies, was valued at Sh1.06 billion.
Face Technologies, a South Africa firm, supplied 30,000 laptops and 4,650 devices which were used to ease voter identification on the election day. The project failed and the tender has now been subjected to investigations by the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission.
“The release of any BVR laptop will require that all personal data and BVR software on the laptops be securely disposed of before they can be donated as requested.
“The Secretariat is of the view that donating any of the BVR laptops will effectively render the rest of the high value components useless so soon after massively investing in this technology,” said a report prepared by IEBC’s ICT committee.
“The directive is premised on the assumption that the laptops would be obsolete if left idle till the next General Election and that since elections are always conducted in public schools, the commission can always access them for use during elections,” the report said.
The report was approved by the commission’s Chief Executive Officer, Mr James Oswago, on July 15.
The Ministry of Education and the National Treasury had separately written to Mr Oswago on June 27 directing him to release the laptops for use by the Ministry of Education.
In their letters, the two ministries argued that the commission would still access the laptops from time to time since the gadgets would be in custody of schools. On Tuesday, Mr Oswago confirmed receiving the two letters.
“We are afraid no clear direction on the procedure has been highlighted. We have also demanded that if we have to give away these laptops then there must be a mechanism for replacing them at least two years before the next General Election,” he said in an interview with the Nation.
Mr Oswago said the demand for a clear commitment was driven by a legal provision that the commission should undertake electronic registration of voters from time to time.
Concerns have also been raised that such orders may have violated the independence of the commission.
The government has already floated tenders to procure 1,378,622 laptops, 20,673 printers and 20,637 projectors to facilitate digital studies in the country’s primary schools at a cost of Sh15 billion.
On Tuesday, the Cabinet approved the setting up of the laptops implementation systems in primary schools to ensure a smooth roll out of the laptop programme in January.
Digital content already developed by the Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development is to be installed in each of the laptops before they are delivered by the successful bidder.
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