The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The Shadow Minister for Works and Mawokota South MP, Yusuf Nsibambi has asked government agencies to adhere to procurement laws instead of following President Museveni’s directives.
According to Nsibambi, President Museveni has been issuing directives on roads for Chinese companies to be considered for projects, and also directing several agencies including the Ministry of Education and Sports to contract the Uganda People’s Defense Forces-UPDF to construct schools and yet these people also need to undergo competitive bidding.
Nsibambi made the remarks on Thursday while presenting before parliament a statement of the Leader of Opposition on the arbitrary directives by the President of awarding contracts to various construction entities for construction of roads, schools and health facilities.
He says all these entities including the UPDF Engineering Brigade must go through the process of open bidding like other units in accordance with the law.
He said that the directive of the president to the ministries of education and health, that beginning the financial year 2021-2022, all contracts to build schools and health centres be given to UPDF contravenes both the Public Finance Management Act and the Public Procurement and Disposal of Assets-PPDA law.
Nsibambi noted that parliament needs to understand that all the pre financing projects are in form of loans and all the loans should be awarded by parliament not the president. Nsibambi says that there is need to scrutinize these directives.
The Leader of Opposition Mathias Mpuuga asked the deputy speaker of parliament to direct the responsible ministers to come to parliament and offer statements about the different directives of the president on offering the contracts so that the house can debate on it.
In her response, the Deputy Speaker of Parliament Anita Among directed the Attorney General Kiryowa Kiwanuka to make a response to parliament on Tuesday next week on the directives of the president on awarding contracts to different companies.
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