Editors PickNational News

ACB rescues 100 vehicles

 

The Plant and Vehicle Hire and Engineering Services (PVHES) has returned 100 vehicles, earlier boarded off to be auctioned, to ministries and departments after the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) issued a stop order against the sale in November.

ACB’s stop order followed suspicions that some senior officers at PVHES, which was coordinating the clearing of the vehicles, had hidden some vehicles.

Ndala: The bureau is waiting  for the report
Ndala: The bureau is waiting
for the report

PVHES director Jomo Mkandawire confirmed on Thursday that over 100 vehicles, earlier earmarked for sale have been sent to various ministries and departments that had transport challenges.

Mkandawire, however, said PVHES sold 150 other vehicles on 29 December 2015 after ACB gave them a go-ahead.

Vehicles that were sold include a fleet from the National Assembly, which was bought by some senior members of staff from the institution thereby raising concerns of conflict of interest.

The vehicles from Parliament include a three-tonner lorry, a Pajero, a KIA saloon, a Toyota Hilux and a Toyota Corolla.

But National Assembly public relations officer Leonard Mengezi said what he knew was that PVHES is the one that sold the vehicles and that if there were people from Parliament who bought such vehicles, they did so like any other person.

He disputed claims of conflict of interest that some members of staff at Parliament entrusted with the custody and maintenance of the vehicles benefited from the sale.

Said Mengezi: “The matter for all boarded off vehicles was handled by PVHES to which Parliament handed over its vehicles. Parliament has no jurisdiction to sell the vehicles.

“Staff of Parliament are not involved in the sale, but can buy just like any citizen at a public auction government undertakes.”

Asked why the sale was done during the Christmas and New Year break, when government institutions were on holiday, Mkandawire said all procedures were followed and that his department advertised the sale.

He said among plants that have not been sold are tractors which will remain in the districts and PVHES will be responsible for their maintenance.

ACB demanded PVHES to provide a comprehensive list of all vehicles and plants that were subject to an auction as well as conditions of the plants and vehicles that were to be auctioned as submitted by the last user government department.

ACB spokesperson Egrita Ndala said her institution was aware of the sale of the vehicles by PVHES.

Said Ndala: “The bureau removed the restriction on the sale after consultations. The condition of the removal of the restriction was for PVHO and the auctioneer to submit a report of the sale which will be reviewed by the bureau. Meanwhile, the bureau is waiting for the report.”

Speaker of the National Assembly Richard Msowoya told Weekend Nation yesterday the Parliamentary Service Commission is waiting for a response from management on alleged conflict of interest by some National Assembly staff who bought vehicles from the institution. n

Related Articles

Back to top button