IEBC Boss Chebukati Speaks Over the Arrested Venezuelan Nationals at JKIA
Independent Electoral & Boundaries Commission chairman {IEBC } Wafula Chebukati broke his silence over the Venezuelan nationals who were arrested at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport with IEBC Documents.
Christine Juma 
Chebukati supported Smartmatic International Holdings, insisting that the agreement with the Dutch company was legal.
The election commission said in a statement dated July 26 that Smartmatic International defeated five other companies to obtain the lucrative contract in 2021.
Chebukati further justified Kenyan company Seamless Limited's participation by saying that they are collaborating with the Dutch company to supply essential technologies needed during the next elections.
Update to the nation on deployment of technology in the 2022 General Election #GE2022 pic.twitter.com/HdRZvDd9bQ
— IEBC (@IEBCKenya) July 25, 2022
"One of the conditions in the tender document was that the bidder should provide a detailed support and maintenance plan and attach documentary proof of ICT technical support staff with a local registered office in Kenya. Smartmatic complied with this condition by providing a local partner in the country," the IEBC statement read in part.
He also said that the stickers found with the three Venezuelans were for the KIMS kits' identification.
IEBC Chair Wafula Chebukati. PHOTO FILE
"For easy identification of the KIEMS kits, Smartmatic is required to provide stickers to aid in labeling each of the kits for purposes of packaging and dispatch to all polling stations. The deployment of the KIEMS kits is currently underway.
"It is important to note that the stickers are non-strategic election materials. The stickers were printed based on the details of the gazette notice published on July 1, 2022," IEBC explained.
He has also reassured Kenyans of a free, fair, and credible election amid the Venezuelan controversies over alleged smuggled stickers.
