Benson Turamye fully takes charge of PPDA

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT |  Benson Turamye has finally taken over as the substantive Executive Director of Public Procurement and Disposal of Public Assets Authority (PPDA).

He was appointed Monday by the PPDA board after serving in acting capacity for two years. Turamye replaces Cornelia Sabiiti, who left the authority in 2017. A statement from PPDA indicates that Turamye brings on board a cumulative experience of 28 years in public service 15 of which have been at PPDA.

He has previously served as the authority’s director of monitoring for six years and as manager procurement audit and investigations also for six years. He was also an economist in the Finance, Planning and Economics Development Ministry.   Turamye will have to oversee the transition of public procurement from the current paper clogged system to an e-government procurement system.

In August this year, ten government entities including Uganda National Roads Authority-UNRA, PPDA, Kampala Capital City Authority-KCCA and National Social Security Fund-NSSF will start piloting the system.

How successful this transition becomes is likely to be his legacy. But he is also expected to lead a crusade against corruption in public procurement.

Last month, Turamye told a meeting of government suppliers that they didn’t need to bribe or forge anything to win government tenders. But this is a vice that is common in government ministries and departments that he has to fight.

Mega government projects have delayed in the past because of court battles where one party accuses the other of bribing their way to win the tender.  Throughout his acting capacity, he has been calling for timely execution of government projects.

Turamye holds a degree in Economics and Master’s degree in economic policy and planning from Makerere University.

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