‘Chicken gate’ scandal: Former IEBC boss James Oswago jailed for 4 years

Former Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) CEO James Oswago has been jailed for four years after he was found guilty of irregular award of a Ksh1.3 billion tender for the supply of voter materials in the 2013 General Election.

The Anti-Corruption Court on Monday ordered Oswago and his deputy, Wilson Shollei, to each pay a fine of Ksh. 7,500,000 or in default serve a total jail term of 4 years for two counts.

Senior Principal Magistrate Felix Kombo found the two officials guilty of abuse of office and wilful failure to comply with the procurement laws.

In the ‘Chicken gate’ scandal where the illicit deals are said to have been carried out under the code name ‘chicken’ to award lucrative printing contracts, IEBC was accused of irregularly awarding the tender for the supply of Electronic Voter Identification Devices (EVID) Kits and Accessories to Face Technologies Ltd.

In the third count in which Oswago and Shollei were being charged with abuse of office and/or willful failure to comply with the procurement laws alongside Edward Karisa (Director of Finance and Procurement) and Willy Kamanga (Procurement Manager), they were all acquitted.

In his ruling, Justice Kombo ordered the two to each pay a fine of Ksh.5 million in default serve 3 years imprisonment for the first count and pay a fine of Ksh.2.5 million each in default serve one-year imprisonment for the third count.