Why Did IEBC Pay Ksh180 million to Oracle for a System they Didn’t Use?

The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) reportedly paid $1.8 million (Ksh180 million) as an advance payment for $2.6 million worth of software deal from Oracle East Africa, a system which was never used by the organization.

READ: How CBK Awarded Oracle Ksh1.3 Billion Contract In A Record Time Of Three Days

According to insiders at IEBC and Oracle, the electoral organization procured the system without following due process and by single sourcing Oracle as the provider, leading to massive loss of funds for a system which the organization really didn’t need.

Excerpts from the Oracle contract with IEBC;

Despite the fact that a total of Ksh180 million was paid in advance and Oracle East Africa is still demanding Ksh80 million, IEBC has never been able to use the system and continues to rely on Microsoft’s Azure system to provide the same service the Oracle system was procured for.

The deal was signed by the disgraced former CEO of IEBC, Ezra Chiloba and Oracle East Africa boss Corine Mbiaketcha.

Kenyans have continued to call on the office of the DCI and EACC to act and arrest the IEBC and Oracle East Africa officials who are complicit in the murky deal of software sold at inflated prices locally but never used.

Some other government departments which have bought software from Oracle East Africa but didn’t use include the Central Bank of Kenya (CBK) and the Kenya Police.

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