The Inspectorate of Government, Beti Kamya Turwomwe has vowed to re-open a file which closed more than seven years ago, to investigate allegations that National Water and Sewerage Corporation compromised the Executive Director of Public Procurement and Disposal of assets Authority (PPDA) Canon Benson Turamye following the controversial ugx17 billion pre-paid water meters contract.
Ms Kamya made the revelation via her twitter handle @IGGBetiKamya on Wednesday morning, December 29, 2021, saying she will investigate this matter “without fear or favour”.
“I want to assure Ugandans that the IG will reopen the UGX 17B NWSC procurement of prepaid meters without fear or favour!” she penned, in response to the outcry that National Water and Sewerage Corporation (NWSC) flaunted procurement procedures in awarding the ugx17 billion contract for prepaid meters which were found faulty.
NWSC has however continued to play down the controversy saying on Twitter, “This will be the 8th time this investigation is done. We are ready with reports and ready to support the agency to get to the bottom of things. There is nothing to hide, no need for alarm!”
Early this week, National Water And Sewerage Corporation (NWSC) spoke out on the allegations flying online that it dubiously procured fake water pre-paid meters and connived with the Executive Director of Public Procurement and Disposal of assets Authority (PPDA) Canon Benson Turamye to block investigations into a matter. It rests on the job Mr Turamye’s wife got at the water agency.
Reports indicate that PPDA completed the report, however Watchdog Uganda website has not been privy to it.
However a whistleblower states, the report has unearthed that PPDA ignored the investigations into the Shs17 billion NWSC procurement deal and instead its boss Turamye exploited how he could benefit from the dubious procurement deal.
According to the whistleblower’s report submitted to IGG last year, the deal would have Turamye’s wife Ruth Kembabazi promoted at NWSC at the time PPDA handled the investigation into the messy procurement deal,
Reports say Ruth Kembabazi had been recruited by NWSC as a senior internal auditor on August 6, 2018 however she was abruptly promoted to Senior Compliance Officer on September 2, 2020, earning her a bigger salary scale almost the salary scale of principal officers at NWSC.
However, Eng Dr Silver Mugisha, the Managing Director of NWSC admits that the corporation procured prepaid meters for Government institutions about 8 years ago but within two years of operation, they developed functionality challenges, something they found unusual.
Dr Mugisha adds that following the glitches, NWSC took administrative measures with the supplier to mitigate any financial loss to the corporation. This involved withholding equivalent payments to the supplier and cashing performance security
“About 3 years ago, PPDA carried out a comprehensive performance audit on the matter, in accordance with the law. PPDA report returned a raft of measures and recommendations that NWSC management and Board, have since acted on fully,” the Managing Director said.
“NWSC is currently developing its own prepaid meter technology, based on experiences we have had with prepaid meters. Similar allegations were brought to the floor of 10th Parliament. We gave our correct side of the story and it was understood.”
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