Army pays $2m for bad food

Aug 12, 2001

THE defence ministry has paid over $2.1m to a South African firm that supplied the rotten dry food ration the army rejected and is now about to destroy.

By Yunusu Abbey THE defence ministry has paid over $2.1m to a South African firm that supplied the rotten dry food ration the army rejected and is now about to destroy. The food, which arrived in the country in 1999, is now being moved to the UPDF’s Magamaga Ordinance Depot from where the army plans to destroy it. The exercise started last week. Gabindadde-Musoke, the defence ministry’s Permanent Secretary, said yesterday that the ration supplier was paid early this year. He said, “We acted on the arbiter’s advice and paid them the outstanding claim ($1,480,250.00) for the food alone and another $700,00 for damages and costs. The amount for the damages and costs was $1.4m. We have $700,000 balance to pay,” said Gabindadde-Musoke. “The other remaining debt is of about $200,000 for the demurrage which has been accumulating since the consignment arrived in the country,” he said. The Johannesburg-based Kramer Trade and Technology (KT&T) ration comprised beans (955,000 tins), chicken stew (955,000 tins) and biscuits (955,000 sachets) valued at $1,480,250.00. The food has been at the Uganda Railways Corporation Jinja goods shed since arrival from Durban. Top chemists, who inspected it in August 1999, declared the ration unfit for human consumption and advised the army not to reject it. The experts were drawn from Uganda Revenue Authority, the Uganda National Bureau of Standards and the Chief Government Chemist. However, Gabindadde-Musoke yesterday, said, “The food will be re-tested and consultations made with the ministry of finance and other relevant government bodies before a final verdict is made on whether to destroy it or not.” Sources said fears are rife in certain circles that some of the rejected dry ration could find its way on the local market. Early this year, some of it was stolen from the goods shed and sold in Jinja. Last week, reports said some of the ration was destined for the UPDF’s 64th battalion in Moroto and 305th brigade but the army has refuted the reports. Last year, after a protracted dispute, Defence and KT&T agreed on an out-of-court settlement. A British lawyer and Queen’s Counsel, Arthur Marriot, was named the arbiter while London was chosen as the venue for the arbitration. Hearing was set for March 5, 2001. Ferried in 42 containers, each 20ft high, the ration was shipped from Durban on June 9,1999 aboard MV 9023 vessel. Interfreight Panalpina transported the goods. The contract award to KT&T was in a March 9, 1999, letter from Lt. Col. Mark Kodili, then UPDF’s Chief of Logistics and engineering. Ends

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