Chilima at Nsipe Ntcheu
By Nenenji Mlangeni
LILONGWE-(MaraviPost)-The country’s Vice President Saulos Chilima who is also UTM Party Leader has this week again vindicated on his revelation that there was dubious transaction for Malawi Military Hospital Project in awarding the contract to Mota Engel after the deal gone sour following Secretary to Treasury refusal to sign the contract with the company without financial agreement and technical specifications.
The project which will be the first of its kind is overpriced to MK70 billion.
Mutharika government has therefore resorted for secretary to defence to sign the financial agreement which is against procurement procedures.
According to sources privy the matter to Maravi Post, Mota Engel will ferry some officials to see what they had done before in Portugal which is diametrically opposite to the required or suggested specs on the ground.
The source added that President Mutharika is expected to lay foundation stone for projects on May 6-15, 2019 notwithstanding these unfinished businesses.
“Secretaries to treasury have refused to sign financial agreement up to now, yet the site has been handed over to Mota Engel.
“One wonders the costing of the project that Mota Engel is now executing in the absence of financial agreement and technical specifications,” quarreled the source.
On Saturday Malawian Vice President Saulos Chilima called President Peter Mutharika leadership for a probe 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, spilled the beans during a campaign rally at his home Nsipe in Ntcheu Saturday afternoon when he wound up his six day tour of Balaka and Ntcheu.
He wondered why government wants to give the contract for the military hospital to someone who bid US$100 million more.
“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.
He called for investigating bodies to do their job and it is not up to him to give them evidence.
“As for me, I will give this evidence when it’s necessary more especially after 21 May 2019,” said Chilima.
Malawi government plan to construct a modern military hospital for Malawi Defence Force where the facility will be equipped with an air ambulance at Kamjuzu 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.”
Chilima also wondered why investigating bodies are selective in investigating corruption cases in the country.
“Someone got MK145 million as a donation to an account he solely signs and they did not investigate.
“There was also the Escom generators deal and the fuel that was stolen at Escom, this too was not investigated.
“And you want to investigate allegations that UTM wants to rig the elections when we all know that these allegations are not true,” said a highly charged Chilima.