'Bukenya must explain CHOGM car deal'
Dec 28, 2009
VICE-PRESIDENT Gilbert Bukenya will have to appear before the public accounts committee to explain his role in the CHOGM cars deal, chairman Nandala Mafabi has said.
By Cyprian Musoke
VICE-PRESIDENT Gilbert Bukenya will have to appear before the public accounts committee to explain his role in the CHOGM cars deal, chairman Nandala Mafabi has said.
Reacting to Bukenya’s defence in a Sunday Vision interview that President Yoweri Museveni approved the deal, Mafabi said the Vice-President interfered with the procurement process when he ordered for direct sourcing from Motorcare/Europcar, the BMW agents in Uganda.
“He interfered when he asked the sub-committee to enter into direct negotiations with Motorcare/Europcar. We have his letter. This was in contravention of the procurement laws,†Mafabi said yesterday.
In the interview, Bukenya accused Mafabi and other people of wanting to sabotage Uganda’s bid to host the summit.
“We had many people, including Nandala Mafabi, who wanted CHOGM to fail. They even sent groups to London de-campaigning Uganda as unfit to host the event. We defeated all those dissenting views and we held a very successful well-organised conference that made black Africa shine,†said Bukenya.
But Mafabi dismissed this, saying there was a lot of stampeding at the last moment leading to the loss of billions of shillings.
“We knew we would host CHOGM in 2003. Everything should have been done in time,†Mafabi noted.
“There was international bidding for the cars which was cancelled by Bukenya. He recommended restrictive bidding which he also cancelled. Then they waited up to some months before the summit and he directed to go for direct sourcing from Motorcare. He was involved in the whole procurement process.â€
Asked by Sunday Vision why he halted the tendering process and ordered for direct negotiations with Motorcare, Bukenya said the policy was to go for leasing as opposed to buying because poor governments like Uganda cannot afford the maintenance costs. The decision, he added, was made in consultation with the President.
Mafabi dismissed the argument. “They want to use the President’s name to get away with it. Yet, the President had earlier warned them in a letter not to flout procurement rules. They will not escape.â€
He said he was going to invoke rule 164 of the Constitution to summon Bukenya to appear before the committee.
“Let him come to the committee and answer for his actions which led to the loss of a lot of billions for the people of Uganda. CHOGM should have been done better by starting early. There were deliberate delays by some people so that they could benefit.â€
In his letter, a copy of which was obtained by The New Vision, the President urged the CHOGM organisers to follow the advice of the procurement body, PPDA.
PPDA boss Edgar Agaba had rejected a request to go for direct bidding from the BMW agents. He only gave permission for restricted tendering, with at least three companies being invited.
“Mr. Agaba wanted to know how one company, BMW, had been agreed on when there were others willing to offer the same combination of purchase/leasing option! We need an explanation,†Museveni wrote in his letter dated February 22, 2007.
The President also warned those who were responsible for the delays and who did not ensure transparency to rectify their conduct.
VICE-PRESIDENT Gilbert Bukenya will have to appear before the public accounts committee to explain his role in the CHOGM cars deal, chairman Nandala Mafabi has said.
Reacting to Bukenya’s defence in a Sunday Vision interview that President Yoweri Museveni approved the deal, Mafabi said the Vice-President interfered with the procurement process when he ordered for direct sourcing from Motorcare/Europcar, the BMW agents in Uganda.
“He interfered when he asked the sub-committee to enter into direct negotiations with Motorcare/Europcar. We have his letter. This was in contravention of the procurement laws,†Mafabi said yesterday.
In the interview, Bukenya accused Mafabi and other people of wanting to sabotage Uganda’s bid to host the summit.
“We had many people, including Nandala Mafabi, who wanted CHOGM to fail. They even sent groups to London de-campaigning Uganda as unfit to host the event. We defeated all those dissenting views and we held a very successful well-organised conference that made black Africa shine,†said Bukenya.
But Mafabi dismissed this, saying there was a lot of stampeding at the last moment leading to the loss of billions of shillings.
“We knew we would host CHOGM in 2003. Everything should have been done in time,†Mafabi noted.
“There was international bidding for the cars which was cancelled by Bukenya. He recommended restrictive bidding which he also cancelled. Then they waited up to some months before the summit and he directed to go for direct sourcing from Motorcare. He was involved in the whole procurement process.â€
Asked by Sunday Vision why he halted the tendering process and ordered for direct negotiations with Motorcare, Bukenya said the policy was to go for leasing as opposed to buying because poor governments like Uganda cannot afford the maintenance costs. The decision, he added, was made in consultation with the President.
Mafabi dismissed the argument. “They want to use the President’s name to get away with it. Yet, the President had earlier warned them in a letter not to flout procurement rules. They will not escape.â€
He said he was going to invoke rule 164 of the Constitution to summon Bukenya to appear before the committee.
“Let him come to the committee and answer for his actions which led to the loss of a lot of billions for the people of Uganda. CHOGM should have been done better by starting early. There were deliberate delays by some people so that they could benefit.â€
In his letter, a copy of which was obtained by The New Vision, the President urged the CHOGM organisers to follow the advice of the procurement body, PPDA.
PPDA boss Edgar Agaba had rejected a request to go for direct bidding from the BMW agents. He only gave permission for restricted tendering, with at least three companies being invited.
“Mr. Agaba wanted to know how one company, BMW, had been agreed on when there were others willing to offer the same combination of purchase/leasing option! We need an explanation,†Museveni wrote in his letter dated February 22, 2007.
The President also warned those who were responsible for the delays and who did not ensure transparency to rectify their conduct.