THE electoral commission yesterday admitted paying Sh250 million for an irregular supply of electronic kits.
The Sh1.3 billion Electronic Voter Identification Devices were bought for the 2013 general election.
Face Technologies delivered 34,600 evids instead of the 30,000 ordered, IEBC chief executive Ezra Chiloba said.
“It was my decision to sign for the payments,” he told the National Assembly’s Public Accounts Committee.
The IEBC chief said the commission had agreed to order an excess of 5,000 kits for additional polling stations.
However, it failed to renegotiate the contract agreement for adjustments.
“The irregularity had already happened. On a balance scale, it was worthy to pay but to make sure it does not happen again,” he said.
The committee, chaired by Rarieda MP Nicholas Gumbo, pressed Chiloba to explain why he sanctioned the payment.
“We realised the devices were working and knew there was no way we were going to get out,” Chiloba said.
He said he saved the taxpayer huge amounts when he declined to pay Sh460 million, as demanded by Face Technologies for the 4,600 extra kits.
“We paid but action had to be taken on those who committed the government, and the culprits are in court,” Chiloba said.
Gumbo asked the IEBC boss if he was coerced.
“Did someone tell you, ‘We must make the payment’?” Gumbo asked.
Chiloba said a report by the Treasury’s internal audit department on pending bills had approved the payment.
Evid was among the technologies deployed by the IEBC in the election.