CSO questions K48bn contract award to Mota Engil amid questionable competences
Government has awarded Mota Engil a contract to design, upgrade and rehabilitate railway section between Marka and Bangula at the sum of over K48 billion.
The contract comes amidst concerns and questions about the competence of the company, following complaints that the company did not complete some of the projects it was awards previously.
According to the letter dated January 11, 2021, which Nyasa Times has seen, the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) gave a go ahead to the Director General of the Public Procurement and Disposal of Assets Authority (PPDA) to use ‘single sourcing method’ to the Ministry of Transport and Public Works to engage Mota Engil Africa to design, upgrade and rehabilitate the said railway section.
In the notification of intention to award contract, the Internal Procurement and Disposal Committee of the Ministry of Transport and Public Works says it has awarded the contract REFNO. MTPW/IPDC/DORS/01/2020-2021 to Mota Engil at the cost of K48, 244, 861, 524.98.
Other companies that bade are Rail Construction/Malbro of Malawi at K60.4 billion, China Civil Engineering Construction at approximately K79.8 billion and ABD/G01den Star/Lennin JV of Malawi/Republic of South Africa at K95.6 billion.
Chairperson of the Internal Procurement and Disposal of Assets at the ministry challenged unsuccessful bidders wishing to request for a debriefing session may submit their request in writing to the address below before close of business on 10th September 2021.
However, the development has surprised the newly established human rights watchdog, the Centre for Mindset Change (CMC), which has questioned the rationale of giving a ‘Not Objection” to a single source to an open tender.
CMC executive director Phillip Kamangira, in an interview Monday evening, wondered why the government could go for a single sourcing method in an open tender.
Kamangira further questioned the rationale of awarding Mota Engil Africa the contract amid concerns that the company has not completed a number of projects it was awarded previously.
Nyasa Times was not successful when it wanted to get a comment from the ministry on Monday evening.
However, we assure our readers that once they respond, we will duly publish their response.
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when you know what was happening in the boat you were in, you become secared of the food you were eating. a kamangira timawadziwa tu
Nokha simukuona kuti motor yatchiphaaa? Pilizi tadziwuwani poyeneraaa osangoti poti galu awuwe…. Hiyaaaaa
Where on earth does a government pay 60M USD for rehabilitation of a 70km railway line. Thats 860,000 USD per kilometres… day light robbery nothing else by the pastor. Yet millions are suffering, lacking basic health and other social services.
Appears by the article that Moyo Engil was the lowest bidder by a great deal. Concern always is that a contractor once awarded a contract seeks additional funding because of incomplete specifications by the Government. Star Lennin of Malawi double M.E. tender eish.