The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) has arrested Principal Secretary in the ministry of finance Patrick Zimpita over the issuance of the Marka to Bangula railway section rehabilitation contract to Mota Engil.
According to ACB Principal Public Relations Officer Egrita Ndala, Zimpita, who was PS for ministry of transport and public works then, abused his office by instructing Micheal Mbewe to draft and advertise notification of intention to award a contract to MOTA Engil without the approval of Government Contracts Unit.
“We received a complaint alleging that the process which was followed to declare Mota Engil as a successful bidder for a tender to design, rehabilitate and upgrade the Marka to Bangula railway section was questionable as a ‘No Objection’ was issued without the knowledge of Public Procurement and Disposal of Assets Authority (PPDA).
“Investigations revealed that Patrick Zimpita in or around August 2021 being employed as a public officer as Principal Secretary in the Ministry of Transport and Public Works, abused his office by instructing Micheal Mbewe to draft and advertise notification of intention to award a contract to MOTA Engil without the approval of Government Contracts Unit,” reads part of the statement
She said Zimpita is reasonably suspected of having committed the offence of misuse of public office contrary to section 25B (1) of the Corrupt Practices Act and neglect of official duty contrary to section 121 of the Penal Code.
ACB arrested Michael Mbewe on 19th April 2023 on similar charges. He was taken to Court where he was released on bail awaiting commencement of trial.
In 2021, ACB cancelled the K48 billion railway contract after a proble the graft-busting body conducted found that the contract was awarded to Mota Engil dubiously.
This followed complaints by disgruntled contractors who raised a red flag.
Following the cancellation, ACB ordered Ministry of Transport and Public Works (MOTPW) to re-evaluate the bid within 15 days.
Among others, ACB’s investigation faulted the Evaluation Team for substantially departing from the requirements of the Bidding Document when evaluating the bids contrary to the provisions of Public Procurement and Disposal of Assets Act and the Bidding Document for this contract.
“MOTPW should re-evaluate the last three bidders with consideration being made to the areas of noncompliance to Bidding Document that the Bureau raised in the communication to the Ministry and the investigations some of which predate this investigation, that the Bureau is currently undertaking against the first lowest evaluated bidder.
“The team to re-evaluate the bids should be different from the one that conducted the first evaluation with complete lack of attention to detail to the Bidding Document,” ACB said.
