Smith & Ouzman Limited, the Eastbourne-based independent security and commercial printing house, today played an integral part in the political history of the Kenyan town Malindi.

The company was delighted to welcome four electoral commissioners from the Eastern African country to Eastbourne, where they were given a tour of the Smith & Ouzman building and discussed the electoral process with Eastbourne’s chief executive Martin Ray, who showed them the polling station at Eastbourne Town Hall and how the postal voting is a secure area there. The Kenyan delegates consisted of lawyers Samuel Manyunza and Kihara Muttu, writer and news reporter Habel Nyamu and election officer Philip Chepsat.

The visit was due to a by-election to be held on 14th May in Margarini Parliamentary Constituency, near Malindi. Smith & Ouzman are printing the ballot papers and will also be carrying out the critical task of printing the ballot papers for the general election in December 2007.

Nick Smith, sales and marketing director at Smith & Ouzman, said: “We have printed ballot papers for Kenya since 1997, and at the last General Election we printed 33,000,000 ballot papers. They are now being printed in full colour. The ballots are being flown to Nairobi this weekend for distribution to remote polling stations next week.”

Smith & Ouzman’s extensive experience in this market meant they were able to offer very detailed advice to the visiting delegates at every stage of the process, even covering how the ballot papers should be printed and packed to assist in logistical distribution in Malindi.