state minister for Transport Aggrey Bagiire

Members of parliament sitting on the physical infrastructure committee have been surprised to learn that the SGS Company that was contracted to inspect vehicles in the country is doing this without any formal supervision from government.

This was revealed during an interface between the parliamentary committee on Physical infrastructure with the Officials from the ministry of works and transport headed by state minister for Transport Aggrey Bagiire , permanent secretary Bageya Waiswa and commissioner transport regulation and safety Katushabe Whinstone among others.

The committee chaired by woman MP for Luwero district Lillian Nakate is probing the illegalities surrounding the SGS contract which was stopped from inspecting vehicles last in June.

Among the many concerns raised by MPs in relation to bleaching of contractual obligations include failure to submit periodical reports of operation, accuracy and maintenance of equipment, the seem to be exorbitant fees used in purchasing of land housing SGS centers, failure to establish other centers in all five regions of the country as in their contract.

The MPs including William Nzoghu, Richard Othieno, James Waluswaka , the committee chairperson Lilian Nakatte among others all questioned how SGS that has been in operation for clause to a year could continue in service without government supervisors whose work would be to assess how these are operating.

Physical Infrastructure Committee of Parliament chaired by Luwero Woman MP, Eng Lillian Nakate

In his response the commissioner for transport regulations and safety in ministry of works Katushabe Winstone admitted to this lope hole noting that they  have been using contract management team that has been occasionally visiting the three operating centers though its not their mandate to supervise the work that goes on here.

The state minister for transport Aggrey Bagiire notes that yes there where uncoordinated issues that were not seen in awarding the inspecting of vehicles contract to SGS but appeals that parliament lets the ministry liase with all the responsible parties to put all issues right for the better services to Ugandans.

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Physical Infrastructure Committee of Parliament chaired by Luwero Woman MP, Eng Lillian Nakate

The Uganda National Bureau of Standards (UNBS) have revealed that they have never issued a certificate standard to certify the equipment used by SGS company that has been inspecting the vehicles in Uganda.

Appearing before the Physical Infrastructure Committee of Parliament chaired by Luwero Woman MP, Eng Lillian Nakate, the acting executive director UNBS, Patricia Bageine Ejalu, said that they were invited by the ministry of works in late November 2015 in a meeting where they were drafting the regulations yet they the contract was signed in March 2015.

She also added that they sent some of their staff to some SGS stations and they found out that the company has one equipment that inspects all types of vehicles in the country irrespective of the manufacturer and they can only inspect old vehicles.

She has also admitted that they don’t have capacity to inspect all the equipment brought in the country for different roles.

She has also noted that there are a number of contracts signed by government without the UNBS involvement to advise on the standard of the equipment and work to be done in Uganda.

She advised that there is a need for government to involve UNBS to have the right Ugandan standards to the government contracts.

However, the executive director UNBS and her team first committed themselves that they were involved in the inspection of the equipments used by SGS but when grilled by members of Parliament sitting on the committee she has been forced to change her statement and apologized to the members for giving false information.

Parliament issued an order for SGS to stop inspection of the vehicles in Uganda and forwarded the matter to the committee of physical infrastructure for investigation.

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Gordon Wavamuno the Chairman of UMSA

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.

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