The Zambia Public Procurement Authority(ZPPA) has written to Zesco seeking an explanation on how the tender for the supply of electricity wooden poles was handled.
This follows an official complaint laid by former Zambia’s Ambassador to Ethiopia and PF Presidential hopeful, Emmanuel Mwamba.
Mr Mwamba wrote an official complaint to both the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) and the Zambia Public Procurement Authority(ZPPA).
Mr Mwamba stated that the shortlisting and directly limited bidding for the supply and delivery of wooden poles to ZESCO which was only opened to foreign companies was being driven by irregularities and acts of corruption.
And both ZAFFICO and the Zambia Manufacturers Association (ZMA) have confirmed that enough wooden poles are available locally and have expressed concern that ZESCO rushed to foreign companies in Zimbabwe and South Africa.
ZPPA Director-General Idah Chellah says her office has taken a keen interest in the matter which has seen public outcry and management at the power utility firm must respond to the Authority on the concerns.
Ms Chellah said tentatively the firm has indicated that it relied on the PPA Act section 43 (1) which if the matter is an emergency or an account of urgency and limited bidding and speaks to limited selection as provided for in the law in terms of getting value for money and obtain competition.
She said in an interview that although Zesco may have followed the law to the latter, ZPPA wants to understand how the matter was handled so that the authority can make a determination on the matter.
Ms Chulu stated that the authority will give feedback to the public after getting the response.
The ACC is yet to respond on the matter.
This is a case of the right hand not knowing what the left hand is doing. The energy minister gave what he thinks was a good explanation for the order. Now is it wrong to assume that someone had a cut in this deal?
Why did the ZPPA wait until a complaint came in?
Surely ZESCO need to be innovative for once and look for alternatives…I mean they could try out concrete poles which can be done by their own subsidiary company or IDC hence creating sustainable employment instead of promoting employment in Zimbabwe and RSA. Concrete Poles are manufactured by a process that involves spinning the poles at a very high rpm, which produces poles with the highest density and strength to weight ratio of any concrete available. As a result they are more durable; longer lasting and resistant to freeze/thaw cycles and chemical agents.
Concrete poles are designed to withstand a bending force equal to 1.5 times the normal bending force without falling out of the elastic range.
By the way when you manufacture concrete poles you are using local cement you are thereby promoting local manufacturing industry.
“…..And both ZAFFICO and the Zambia Manufacturers Association (ZMA) have confirmed that enough wooden poles are available locally and have expressed concern that ZESCO rushed to foreign companies in…….”
Lies…………
Thats why you lose out, this story has been trending for over a month now………
With ZESCO saying there are no locally produced poles……….
Then today you say you have enough poles locally ………????
If ZAFICO has poles locally……..they need to sack their mangment for sleeping on the job……….
I told everyone here that poles were available seen physically but I was called PF (a party associated with destruction) it’s this blind loyalty to the ruling parties that has brought us down to our knees. If were not careful we may not even be able to kneel but fall flat and never to rise again. People are stealing right in front of your eyes and you are clapping and cheering for them. COUNTRY FIRST ABASH PARTY AND TRIBE AFFILIATION.
ZPPA couldn’t act on single sourced fore tenders but now seen to be acting on zesco poles. Has the composition of ZPPA changed?
THERE ARE NOT ENOUGH CORRECT DIAMETER MAINLINE TRANSMISSION POLES IN ZAMBIA
THERE ARE ENOUGH POLES FOR INTERNAL ELECTRIFICATION ONLY
ALSO THE IMPORTED POLES ARE CORRECTLY PRESSURE TREATED FOR TERMITES
THEREAS OURS ARE JUST DIPPED
FACTS ARE FACTS !
THIS DOESNT MEAN ONE CANT CHECK ON THE TENDER PRICE FOR IRREGULARITIES
The fact that ZPPA has written Zesco to seek an explanation is an indication that the Authority wasn’t involved in the process. This means that however sweet-coated the explanation might be, an illegality had been committed and superintended by the Minister. This is another docket that we have opened after the fertilizer deal. At rate that they’re going most of these chaps will end up at Chimbokaila
#7 PF single sourced the fire tenders so Upnd can also single source, so Kakubo can also receive gifts and the list goes on. So if we’re going to do evil because PF did it why didn’t we just stay with the PF. They say the DEVIL YOU KNOW IS BETTER THAN THE ANGEL YOU DON’T KNOW.