Members of the Uganda Motor Industry Association (UMIA) have appealed to the Parliamentary Physical Infrastructure Committee investigating how SGS company was awarded a 5 contract for vehicle inspection in Uganda saying government should cancel their contract if found to have breached the Public Procurement Disposal of Public Assets Authority (PPDAA).
UMIA who met recently including Spear Motors Proprietor, Gordon Wavamuno, Victoria motors director, Sam Kibuka together with the Association Lawyer, Chris Bwanika, told the committee chaired by Luwero district MP, Lillian Nakate, that SGS was given the contract of vehicle inspection in absence of fair competition which sidelined other service providers.
The group said that giving the vehicle inspection contract to SGS without subjecting it to competition was undermining the government project of Buy Uganda, Build Uganda, adding that this dictates affirmative action in government procurements which favour entities on the ground to foster private sector growth.
UMIA members said that their respective companies had the capacity to create vehicle inspection service stations since they have more vehicle inspection stations than SGS in the whole country to reach out to the general public without subjecting Ugandans to inconveniences they are suffering in the hands of SGS.
They told the committee that SGS has established a few vehicle inspection service stations in Kawanada and Nabbingo and is intending to construct another seven (7) stations which they say cannot cover the entire country and that the few are also only centered around Kampala. This they say has subjected the people from upcountry to travel long distances for inspections in Kampala.
They say they as UMIA have established members who are ready to extend the service to the people wherever they are.
They also challenged the way the process is being managed where by every vehicle which is more than one year old has to be subjected to inspection without regard to the manufacturer’s warranties which raise contractual issues when the SGS interferes with such vehicles.
Lawyer Bwanika, said that if the SG contract found of being awarded illegally should be terminated and fresh bidding in invited.
