Muhara must explain K70bn deal as legal expert calls Malawi military hospital project probe
Former minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs Ralph Kasambara is calling for an investigations on claims made by Vice President Saulos Chilima on how a contractor who bid US$105 for the construction of a military hospital has been left out by the government in favour of a bidder of US$206 million.
Chilima, who is also UTM Party presidential candidate in the May 21 elections, made the revelations during a televised campaign politically rally recently.
“The highest bidder was at US$105 million and someone bid with US$100 million more and you want to give this contract to this person. Do you know that’s K70 billion what do you want to do with this money?” wondered Chilima.
Taking it to social media, Kasambara said there is need for transparency and accountability on the project because it will be constructed on tax payer’s money.
“The military hospital will be constructed using our tax. We need to know the costs,” wrote Kasambara on his Facebook page.
He suspected wrongful self-enrichment in the award of the contract.
“Exit Escom, enter Malawi Defence Force. There is nothing about security interest on the award of the contract to construct hospital,” wrote Kasambara.
Nyasa Times understands that Chief Secretary in the Office of the President and Cabinet (OPC) Lloyd Muhara influenced events to ensure that Taca Construction which offered a bid of $105,000,000 for the project be disqualified and award to Mota Engil at a price of $204,000,000 – which is US$100 million more.
Taca’s proposal on a quote of $105,000,000 would cover the following:
- Construction of the 400 bed modular state of the art hospital
- Construction of 200 Staff housing
- Medical Equipment
- Hospital Furniture
- Information Technology
- Training and Capacity Building
However, Mota Engil’s proposal which is almost $100,000,000 more than Taca’s proposal provided the grounds none of which was technical.
But government claims TACA did not submit Bid Security and that some information was not submitted in the bid
Taca, a Turkish company, expreesed suprise that Malawi government decided to neglect all the other supporting documents it provided in the bid just to offer it to Moyta Engil.
It also states that there was verbal communicated through Taca Consultants at
InteGrow Capital and through Malawi’s US Ambassador Edward Sawengera that
Taca will be invited for round table discussion and negotiations but never received the invitation and government went ahead r to award the contract without fully engaging Taca like it did with Mota Engil.
“We are of the impression that the process was neither fair nor balanced. It is apparent that even though our quote was almost $100 Million dollars less than the quote provided by our competition, the process prejudiced our bid in favor of Mota Engil,” reads a letter by Taca president Tayyar Akkuti to Malawi government..
Taca is appealing the decision to award the tender and request for a “further honest review of the process.”
Muhara could not immediately comment.
Malawi government plan to construct a modern military hospital for Malawi Defence Force where the facility will be equipped with an air ambulance at Kamuzu Barracks in Lilongwe.
Construction of a hospital at the Kamuzu Barracks was one of the recommendations by the Commission of Inquiry into circumstances of the death of late President Bingu wa Mutharika in April of 2012.
Among others, the Justice Elton Singini inquiry observed that, referring a whole Head of State to a public hospital- as was the case with late Bingu wa Mutharika- compromised the president’s security and privacy.
Therefore, the Commission recommended that: “Government needs to construct or establish a presidential medical facility at the headquarters of the Malawi Defence Force in Lilongwe which is the seat of Government where the President regularly resides.”
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Awa a anabwela ali mbuu lelo tawaonani asamba ,anona etc..koma nde azikwangulatu
MERA and NOCMA have become the conduit for symphoning and stealing government money. Above all NOCMA is killing Malawian small businesses by awarding fuel contracts to foreigners like Tanzania and Mozambique. Akudyapo ma cadet aku DPP. Lanu la 40 lizakwana. Anthu oyipa inu. I am no economist but awarding contracts to foreigners is simply killing local businesses. NOCMA should never have existed in the first place. CEO wa ku NOCMA ndi cadet wamkulu. Akudya ndalama za ma swahili at the expense of locals. These DPP people dont care about anybody but themselves. Ndalama zokuba simufika nazo patali. MERA nayo ili phwii busy punishing local businesses. We are indeed a failed state.
DPP, koma ndiye mukadzadzanako ku Maula agalu inu. 21st May is coming, you will cry like animals.
Nyasa Times, since when have you started to engage us on a convict’s hallucinations over money he wishes he could swindle? Do you realise this money in contention is 10 times more than he attempted to kill Mphwiyo for?
Give us a break!
Paulendo muhara bambo opanda mzeru
You can’t run government you are too dull too dull
Mota should go deport them look at the quality of roads
The same Kasambara the thief? Since when did you start having the interests of the nation at heart?
Old filthy hugards
What did MERA do. They awarded the contract of a mobile fuel testing van for MK 700 million ( 1 million dollars) instead of the average tender bid price of 250 million
This is all nonsense. Kamuzu had a presidential suit at Queens, why cant the new administration do the same at central hospitals in Blantyre, Lilongwe and Mzuzu and improve the facilities befitting the president? For how long shall we be flying our small gods aboard when they and their family members fall sick? This government is lacking vision.
in security even computer to secure it it needs opanga secure secure iwe ukhale mbva so musamatsutsenso ayiii adpp inu athu akuopha
amene ali clean sangazidziwe man
What is a military hospital? How does it differ from a ‘central’ hospital? Or is it where you take dead presidents before flying them to Pretoria, SA? Please ……..
And what security does a dead president need? Is it from the dogs from eating the stinking corpse?
Who is Ralph Kasambara or Ralph Mbala? The hospital which is state of the art cannot be build with $105Million is not enough for 400 bedded hospital , 200 staff houses and state of the art equipment. This thinking of saying the lowest bid should be taken is spoiling our infrastructure. Kota will give a good work that will last for generations. Just to let the thief Kasambara that in tendering, when you are evaluating the bids , there’s number of things you look, not only figures which are lower. Lowest bidder can be left out and that is right. Nothing dodgy in that and nothing of corruption in it. Kasambara should go back to jail , he has no integrity at all.
THESE SCANDALS epitomizes the legacy of DPP rule. Those of us who have all along supported the DPP ought to be very ashamed that the crooks surrounding APM have amassed so much wealth by victimizing everyone including DPP supporters and the whole country is paying a price!
This is a party of thieves now and time has come to dissociate from DPP for the good of Malawi rather than Mulakho wa Alhomwe garbage! APM you have let DPP then Lhomwes and finally Malawi down. SHAME!!!
DPP Members let’s vote for ATUPELE and UDF where we came from and the young man is the cleanest of ALL the candidates competing!!!!
Apart from Atupele the rest are involved in one scandal or the other from corruption to nepotism to church embezzlement of funds to fraud etc
Malawi day NO to DPP and crooks who want to get to power to abuse it and with no commitment to development, good governance, and inclusivity for all in matters of the nation. DPP we now say NO to corruption, nepotism, cashgates, fraud, killings of innocent citizens, lies, abuse of power and false development projects!!! APM you need some rest and time to reflect so that one day you may apologize on the behalf of your crooks such as Muhara, Chisale and company and indeed your own behalf for pocketing the K145 millions and many other bags of money offshore through corruption, to Malawians like Dr H K Banda did……………. we are waiting!!!’
DPP let’s accept that we have leant the lesson of bling loyalty simply because one is a home boy of Thyolo and a Lomwe. Look back and ask ourselves , what we have gained? The answer is a huge loss by every Malawian except the crooks who come across as elite Lhomwes that take advantage of APM.
Lord Almighty please save Malawi and gives us a well balanced leader who will take the nation forward! Forgive us for our own poor choices, stupidity, misplaced tolerance and blind loyalty………….. we further pray that you renew our resolve to stand up against oppressive and bad leadership where Malawi gets mismanaged because of nepotism, corruption, discrimination and greed!
Which atupele you fool? Is it the minister of health who is responsible for all hospitals? This construction could not have go ahead without his ministries approval. Atupele is part of DPP
While we know that this government must be investigated – when did KASAMBARA know about the ills of miss use of tax payers money ?
Let those who are clean speak 😡
But these people have no level of care, passion and concern? Do they really love this country and its people?? beats to the bone.. How can they do such a thing???.. This theft has really gone out of hand.. What are we telling our children as they grow. ?? Institutionalizing theft is a highest and vicious criminal offence on the land.. God forbid
It is not automatic kuti lowest bidder wins. Ask the gurus on this process akuwuzani
Kodi akuluwa ali paja? Mmayesa kuti akusewenza. Dziko lokomela anthu a money. Oba nkhuku nde kuwakakamila ama billion kutuluka kuti akadye money
Muhara ndi mbva,,, koma Mota eish abale as if amagwira ntchito yeni yeni
The whole govt enterprise is run by political thieves, and the whole DPP govt is a criminal enterprise, this is the guy who sugarcoated MRA figures when he was Director General there to look sweet on paper just to lick the ass of late Bingu Mutharika