An article in all Africa reports that Uganda’s cabinet decided to cancel a tendering process for a major dam construction project after a lawsuit launched by a competing bidder uncovered significant irregularities:
The tender process started in the middle of 2011 and the site was supposed to be handed over to the contractor in March last year.
Problems surrounding the dam’s tender began to surface when key deadlines were missed by the energy ministry officials who were handling the procurement. Then a whistle-blower reported to the Government’s procurement authority, PPDA and the IGG that officials were pushing CWE to win the deal.
In August last year, in the middle of the tender process, the Attorney General and energy ministers Irene Muloni, Simon D’Ujanga and other senior ministry officials presented CWE bosses to Museveni as the parties who had won the deal.
Competing firm Salini got a High Court injunction on the process to ensure it does not go forward before administrative and judicial reviews are completed.
The judicial review found that the process was badly flawed and called for suspension of the process to iron out the inconsistencies.
