Kabale authorities queried over taxi park
Apr 14, 2007
THE Public Procurement and Disposal of Public Assets Authority (PPDA) has questioned the manner in which the Kabale municipal authorities awarded the Kabale Taxi/Bus Park tender to M/s CMK Transporters.
By Darious Magara
THE Public Procurement and Disposal of Public Assets Authority (PPDA) has questioned the manner in which the Kabale municipal authorities awarded the Kabale Taxi/Bus Park tender to M/s CMK Transporters.
In a March 26 letter addressed to the Kabale town clerk, assets authority recommended that the contract signed with the company be reviewed after six months to allow competition and concerned parties be notified accordingly.
According to the assets authority, Kabale awarded the tender to the company in 2003 and it has been renewed without any advertisement or competitive bidding.
The accounting officer also failed to provide a performance report for the tender, making it difficult to confirm the actual performance of the company.
“The council could have had good intentions in recommending the extension of the contracts submitted by M/s CMK Transporters but it was irregular to extend it for the forth time without subjecting the tender to competition,†the letter read.
The controversial contract that was increased to sh8.5m, was renewed in December 2006 for 12 months, although according to procurement regulations, contracts are supposed to last for only six months.
PPDA investigated the matter following complaints from a Central Division councillor Julius Tituryebwa and Hope Media Impact.
The PPDA, which also investigated the Horizon Bus manager and Latif Khalid, a councillor could not confirm whether Khalid was linked to the transporters’ shareholders.
Khalid was running the park and has clashed with some taxi operators and journalists over the tender.
Khalid, who owns Omini buses and some senior district officials with taxis have allegedly been loading their vehicles at the expense of the others in the same park.
The town clerk, Johnson Munono, said he would act on the report at the appropriate time.
THE Public Procurement and Disposal of Public Assets Authority (PPDA) has questioned the manner in which the Kabale municipal authorities awarded the Kabale Taxi/Bus Park tender to M/s CMK Transporters.
In a March 26 letter addressed to the Kabale town clerk, assets authority recommended that the contract signed with the company be reviewed after six months to allow competition and concerned parties be notified accordingly.
According to the assets authority, Kabale awarded the tender to the company in 2003 and it has been renewed without any advertisement or competitive bidding.
The accounting officer also failed to provide a performance report for the tender, making it difficult to confirm the actual performance of the company.
“The council could have had good intentions in recommending the extension of the contracts submitted by M/s CMK Transporters but it was irregular to extend it for the forth time without subjecting the tender to competition,†the letter read.
The controversial contract that was increased to sh8.5m, was renewed in December 2006 for 12 months, although according to procurement regulations, contracts are supposed to last for only six months.
PPDA investigated the matter following complaints from a Central Division councillor Julius Tituryebwa and Hope Media Impact.
The PPDA, which also investigated the Horizon Bus manager and Latif Khalid, a councillor could not confirm whether Khalid was linked to the transporters’ shareholders.
Khalid was running the park and has clashed with some taxi operators and journalists over the tender.
Khalid, who owns Omini buses and some senior district officials with taxis have allegedly been loading their vehicles at the expense of the others in the same park.
The town clerk, Johnson Munono, said he would act on the report at the appropriate time.