IGG Reverses Kaberamaido District Building Tender Award

THE Inspector General of Government (IGG) has reversed a tender award for the construction of Kaberamaido district water office, citing gross irregularities in the bid process and allegations of bribery.John Eremu writes that Jotham Tumwesigye (pictured left) has also barred the Soroti Roads Inspector, Mr. Enyenu Eyoku, from further sitting on the technical committee that evaluates Kaberamaido district tenders.The Ombudsman said Enyenu, who wrote the final technical evaluation report fraudulently altered scores in favour of M/s Solar Hardwares, the company that was eventually awarded the contract.The IGG’s investigations followed complaints from James Olobo, whose firm, J.S. Engineering, lost the contract despite being evaluated as the best company for the sh80m job.J.S. Engineering was rated to have scored 89% after final evaluation against Solar Hardwares 66% but the district procurement committee headed by the former interim LC5 chairman, Mr. Raymond Ekadu, gave the contract to Solar Hardwares.However, the IGG halted the December 23, 2001 award, saying it was unfair and would cost the infant district an additional sh2.7m. The April 3, 2002 report said of the six companies that pre-qualified for the tender, only J.S.Engineering attached all the required documents but that marks were awarded to Solar Hardwares without verifying the authenticity of the documents they claimed to have.“This enabled Solar Hardwares to become the second best and fictitious reasons were advanced to disqualify the best company, J.S. Engineering,” Tumwesigye said. The 29-page report was copied to the new district chairman, Victor Rex Ekesu.Ends