Minister urges new PPDA appeals tribunal members on transparency

Kampala, Uganda |  THE INDEPENDENT | The State Minister of Finance for General Duties, Gabriel Ajedra Aridru has told the new Public Procurement and Disposal of Public Assets (PPDA) appeals tribunal new members that transparency was a must in the kind of role they are taking over.

The PPDA appeals tribunal acts as a court of the first instance in case a company or individual is not satisfied with the procurement process of a particular project.

Ajedra, who inaugurated the new tribunal on Thursday, said Ugandans need fairness and to have faith in the work they do, they must not be compromised.

The new PPDA appeals tribunal is to be headed by lawyer and former Uganda Law Society President Francis Gimara. Other members are Nelson Nelima, Paul Kalumba, and Geoffrey Kakira.

Gimara, a lawyer and the incoming chairperson of the tribunal, promised integrity in the work they are set to do.

Procurement processes in Uganda have often time been characterized by suspicions over the cleanliness of the processes. At times, the procurement of the project has taken more than five years because of accusations of irregularities. 

Olive Zaale Otete, the outgoing chairperson of the tribunal, said her team being the inaugural members managed to build the foundation and inculcated the culture of equity at the tribunal. She said they handled cases worth billions of shillings but could not allow temptations to take a bribe.

Otete said in six years of their two-term reign as tribunal members, they managed to resolve 125 cases.

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URN