E-Clips:- Business Pictorial - Anglo Leasing

Mr Awori: Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, before I make the personal statement, let me assure the House that the matter raised by Ntonyiri MP Mr Maoka Maore is under investigation, and that everything will be done so that this House can be appraised on the situation. I am making this personal statement because my name has been mentioned.

1 wish to respond to the allegations made by Mr Maore on April 20, 2004, regarding an immigration tender. Governments worldwide have been forced to device new strategies to fight international terrorism which has become a real threat to peace. In view Of the September 11, 2001 two terrorist attacks in the United States of America, Kenya has similarly suffered serious terrorist attacks with the loss of human life and property, on August 7,1998, and again in November, 2002.

One of the glaring weak points that were detected was the passport issuing system which has become infiltrated by fraudsters and other criminals who are forging our passports and using them for criminal activities, and the weak border control system in place. Indeed, you may recall our development partners indicating that our borders were so porous and could be infiltrated by terrorists, thus making Kenya a terrorist haven.

In view of the above, there was an urgent need to address the modernisation of the Immigration Department and border cpntrol systems. You will agree with me that when the Narc Government came into power, it inherited obsolete and corrupt systems that needed to be overhauled to meet the challenges posed by international terrorism.

Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, the process of procuring equipment for the Immigration Department was initiated way back in year 2000. That is when the Immigration Department identified the need for an Immigration Information Management System be installed comprising at least 10 modules. This was in line with the September 2000 Computerisation Project Needs Assessment Report which recommended that the Immigration Department should design modern and enhanced computer systems.

On October 1, 2001, the Immigration Department requested authority from the Office of the President, under which it was placed at the time, for only a passport issuing system through restricted tendering.

Mr Deputy Speaker, that was a request by the Immigration Department to the Office of the President, which was granted vide the letter dated February 5, 2002, forwarding the Treasurys authority on the January 8, 2002. Five firms were invited to tender for the supply, but only three of them, De La Rue Identity Systems, AIT International and Face Technologies responded. On the analysis of the bids presented, only one firm was found to meet both commercial and technical requirements. However, its quotation of Sh622 million was found to be far in excess of the Budgetary allocation for the item. The tender could not, therefore, be awarded due to lack of funds. Consequently, it was cancelled and the tenderers informed on August 5, 2002.

Due to the prevailing weakness in the Immigration System and the need to counter the terrorism threat which was growing, the Department, once again, made representation to be allowed to make phased implementation of the required immigration systems to cover several years, for ease of payments.

The Department sought clearan,cefor the extensIOn of the authority to procure the passport Issumg system to cover the financial year, 2002/2003. That was granted on October 17, 2002, by the Permanent Secretary, Office of the President.

In October, 2002, tenders were floated to six firms using revised technical specifications. That was to cover only passport issuing system by the deadline of November 28, 2002. Three of the firms, namely: Face Technologies, De La Rue and GET Group had responded, quoting the following figures:-

Face Technologies of South Africa quoted US$9,946,965,GET Group of the United States quoted US$1O,596,813and De La Rue of the UK quoted Sterling £7,951,025, which is equivalent to US$12,324,445. After evaluating the bids, a technical committee comprising of Government Information Technology Services (GITS) and the Immigration Department,found out that none of the firms that had responded met the required technical specifications.