Entry Instance

HTTP 200 OK
Allow: GET, PUT, PATCH, DELETE, HEAD, OPTIONS
Content-Type: application/json
Vary: Accept

{
    "id": 946833,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/946833/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 57,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Endebess, JP",
    "speaker_title": "Hon. (Dr.) Robert Pukose",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 1458,
        "legal_name": "Robert Pukose",
        "slug": "robert-pukose"
    },
    "content": " Thank you, Hon. Speaker. Pursuant to Standing Order No.44 (2)(c), I wish to request for a Statement from the Chairperson of the Departmental Committee on Finance and National Planning on interference of procurement for leasing of vehicles for the National Police Service. Procurement for supply and delivery of vehicles for use by the National Police Service was conducted in May 2019 but, on account of the disputes that emanated from the tendering process, the intervention of the Public Procurement Administrative Review Board was sought, which eventually led to cancellation of the process. Negotiations were opened irregularly on or about 3rd September 2019 after the award. Whereas the first tendering process took almost three months to finalise before the cancellations, the new process has taken an unbelievable 10 days, with the new tender process ostensibly intended to circumvent judicial and other administrative processes. This unwarranted haste seems to favour a specific bid which may have been pre-identified by the users, in view of the fact that the new bidders were called by phone to submit bids, leading to irregular award that took place on 2nd October 2019. This award is also shrouded in secrecy and possible irregularities. The cancellation and repetition of the procurement process has caused massive inconvenience, leading to unwarranted wastage of manpower and resources that may eventually run to billions of taxpayers’ money. This is essentially a matter of procurement primarily because the subject matter is not the National Police Service, for whom the procurement is being undertaken. It is on this background that I seek your indulgence in referring this matter to the Departmental Committee on Finance and National Planning and giving the Committee 21 days within which to inquire and report on: (i) the seeming intricacies and manipulation of the procurement process by State agencies exemplified by defying decisions of the Public Procurement Administrative Review Board, the High Court and other instances of blatant disregard for procurement procedures; (ii) whether there were any interests by State or public officers involved in the procurement process; including the National Treasury, Office of the President, Ministry officials, among others, that might have contributed to the challenges and problems encountered in the procurement process; and, (iii) action, disciplinary or otherwise, that shall be preferred against State or public officers found culpable or exhibiting lack of professionalism and interfering with the procurement process."
}