Tanzania: Banned Bidders Bounce Back

Arusha — A TOTAL of 28 out of the 34 local firms that were banned from participating in public tendering bids, have just been released from the ban by the Public Procurement Regulatory Authority (PPRA) Board of Directors, which is meeting here.
The Acting PPRA Board Chairperson, Justice Thomas Mihayo, said the board had banned more than 30 companies from taking part in executing procurement tenders being floated by public firms and institutions for a period of one year. The board was now easing the 12-month ban for some of them.
Judge Mihayo, who made the statement during the ongoing workshop for the 'Dissemination of Public Procurement Act 2011, to board of directors of Public authorities,' explained that the board suspended the firms in accordance with Penal Code 103 of the Government Act 97.
He pointed out that 26 out of the blacklisted 34 companies had failed to implement their contracts, while the other eight had colluded with the executives of some institutions and received payments for 'ghost work' or tenders that were not accomplished.
"Public procurement accounts for over 70 per cent of the National Budget and the figures of the fiscal year ending in 2012 indicated that this segment had consumed over 4.3trn/-," said Judge Mihayo warning that such large sums of taxpayers' money needs to be strictly regulated and monitored properly.
Firms that had been suspended from tendering bids include Lemungo Construction Co. Ltd, Majajulu Investment Ltd, Ostrich Maintenance Works Ltd, Nzori General Enteprises Ltd and Commetech Contractors Ltd.
Others are Naiko Supplies Company Ltd, Shedol Construction Ltd, Maktech & Tel Company Ltd, Jimmy Money Enterprises, Zephania Ngeleja of Ukerewe, Mawson Construction Ltd, Mahende Garage and Construction Co. Ltd, Nyanda & Company and Kipusi Traders.
The rest are Jawabu Construction Company Ltd, Mike Construction, Rana Decoration, Building and Civil Contractors, Grace Mbilinyi, Computech ICT Ltd, Girland Developers Ltd, Camsa Construction Company Ltd, Twabaha Construction Company Ltd.
Others are Mailaka Building Contractors and Civil Works, Mussa S. Mbweso, Ligero Contractors Company Ltd, Julius Mwamlima Contractors, Muson Engineers Ltd, Man-Ncheye Pa Company Ltd, F.I.C Ltd, Nyegezi JJ Construction Ltd, Jossam and Company Ltd, Satelite Contractors Company Ltd, Icon Engineers and Tengo Construction Ltd.
Three companies are still being suspended until they refund the state of the money paid to them on false services and these include Man-Ncheye Company Limited of Bunda, Tengo Construction Limited of Morogoro and Icon Engineers of Mwanza. Three other firms which have already paid back the money are Muson Engineering Limited, Nyegezi JJ. Construction and Jossam Company.
These have joined others in resuming work after being banned. The PPRA Chief Executive Officer, Dr Ramadhan Mlinga, added that being released from suspension will not in any way stop the ongoing investigations launched to probe the companies on the alleged dubious dealings. Dr Mlinga, on the other hand, revealed that PPRA was in the process of establishing zonal offices in Arusha, Mwanza, Dodoma and Mbeya to supplement the two currently serving in Dar es Salaam.