UCAA accused of flouting procurement laws

By Francis Lubega

9^th Feb 2022

The Uganda Civil Aviation Authority -UCAA has been faulted for ignoring and violating the procurement laws in the contract awarded to the China Communication Construction Company (CCCC) to Entebbe Airport Expansion project.

While appearing before the Committee of Commissions, Statutory Authorities and State Enterprises (COSASE), Levy Musinguzi a former Assistant Business Development Manager at CCCC told the Committee that the company took leverage of working on Kampala-Entebbe Express highway to solicit for a deal to expand the Entebbe Airport, a deal Government fell for without scrutiny.

Musinguzi said that there were no tender document which could lead to the bidding process of 160 days as stipulated in the Public Procurement and Disposal of Assets Authority Act.

However, the meeting later turned dramatic when Zheng Biao, Country Manager CCCC in Uganda denied recalling Musinguzi working on documentation of the Entebbe airport expansion project, saying all he recalls is Musinguzi conducting general duties around office like photocopying documents.

However when Kashari South County  MP Nathan Itungo  asked about the other duties he carried out during his four years at CCCC, a visibly angry Musinguzi promised to table before Parliament documents to prove his qualifications and duties with the Chinese firm.

Musinguzi also told Parliament that he was prompted to resign from CCCC after sensing the contractor was trying to bid for another contract with a fictitious company for Masaka-Bukakata Road.