In accordance with section 91 of the PPDA Act 2003, the town clerk is notified that the authority has instituted an investigation in this matter and you are instructed to suspend any further action on this procurement process, reads Sabiiti\'s letter dated February 19th.
The Public Procurement and Disposal of Assets Authority- PPDA is investigating the fraudulent award of Mbarara Taxi Park tender. The investigations stem from a petition by Mbarara United Taxi Owners; Conductors and Drivers Cooperative Society Limited- MUTOCDA to PPDA last week to stop the tendering process citing irregularities in the procurement process.
Sande Bukenya, the chairperson Mbarara United Taxi Owners; Conductors and Drivers Cooperative Society Limited says they petitioned PPDA after the Mbarara municipality contracts committee decided to award the taxi park tender to Mbarara United Taxi Operators Cooperative Society Limited-MUTOCOS.
This is the third time the Mbarara Taxi park tender awarding process is being contested by Mbarara United Taxi Owners; Conductors and Drivers Cooperative Society Limited. Now, Cornelia k. Sabiiti, the PPDA Executive director has written to Johnson Baryantuma Munono, the Mbarara Town clerk directing him to cancel the tender and submit to the authority the entire procurement action file.
“In accordance with section 91 of the PPDA Act 2003, the town clerk is notified that the authority has instituted an investigation in this matter and you are instructed to suspend any further action on this procurement process, reads Sabiiti\'s letter dated February 19th.
According to the letter, the authority intends to carry out an administrative review on the invitation for bids to the various bidders, bid proposals submitted by the bidders, copy of the detailed bid documents issued to bidders, record of issue and receipt of bids, all PP forms related to this procurement, the evaluation report and contracts committee minutes for this procurement.
However, Munono says he is not ready to cancel the tender saying that he had already signed a contract with Mbarara United Taxi Operators Cooperative Society Limited and even issued them with receipt books for the revenue collection in the taxi park. He says council has already received a cash deposit of 16 Million shillings from the contractor, which they can\'t refund.
According to source at the municipality, Munono is expected to meet PPDA officials to respond to all the issues raised. Tension has been mounting in Mbarara Taxi Park since the award of the taxi park tender to Mbarara United Taxi Operators Cooperative Society Limited in January this year following the expiry of Mbarara United Taxi Owners; Conductors and Drivers Cooperative Society Limited\'s contract on December 6th 2014.
