Kasujja Denies Foul Play

By Vision Reporter THE Electoral Commission (EC) has denied press reports that its chairman, Aziz Kasujja, knew the parties involved in the ballot paper deal and over-ruled the Inspector General of Government (IGG). Andrew Muwonge, the commission secretary, said in a statement yesterday, that it was the meeting held in the IGG's office and not Kasujja that resolved not to cancel the original award to Lithotech as the IGG had recommended. He said all the stakeholders, namely CTB, SWIPCO and the EC attended the meeting. "At no point in this process were the names of individuals behind the various bidders disclosed. Therefore, it is not correct to assert that the chairman of the EC commission knew the parties involved in the deal, but over-ruled the decision of the IGG as reported in The Monitor lead story," read the statement. Col. Dr. Kizza Besigye's team had petitioned the EC over the ballot paper tender row and recommended that Lithotech's award be revoked. The EC statement read: "We wish to correct the wrong impression that may have been created by The Monitor story. The procurement of the ballot papers was handled through open tendering." "An advert was placed by the Central tender Board (CTB) in the print media calling for interested firms to bid. "The submissions were evaluated by SWIPCO. The outcome of this evaluation is what guided the CTB in the award of the tender." Ends