Seven held in Rubavu over botched tender

Police in Rubavu District are holding seven officials of the district procurement committee for alleged corruption in the award of a tender to construct a modern market. The suspects were arrested on Thursday after preliminary investigations linked them to a questionable tendering process, Police said. Inspector of Police Theobald Kanamugire, the Western Province regional police spokesperson, confirmed the arrest saying the seven awarded the tender to construct Gisenyi market to an ineligible entity. “We have arrested seven people who were in the district’s procurement committee and they are suspected of illegally awarding the tender to construct the Gisenyi market” said Kanamugire. He did not divulge details of the alleged illegality. Earlier last month, Christopher Kalisa who was the district executive secretary, was arrested for allegedly flouting tendering procedures of the same market. Police has linked the latest arrests to his case. It was reported that the contractor, ABBA Ltd, had received the title deed for the market without paying a single coin even after the district advisory council had asked the district administration to tender it. The contractor had pledged to pay Rwf1.3 billion but later was given the tender free of charge; yet members of the Private Sector Federation in the district were ready to pay the amount. The construction of Gisenyi market started four years ago but stalled in its initial phase, resulting into the cancellation of the contract. Corruption allegations have been rife in the district with the arrested of the former district mayor, sheikh Hassan Bahame and the district notary Judith Kayitesi. They were accused of receiving a Rwf4 million bribe from a local contractor who wanted land titles from the district officials fast-trucked. Both are still remanded to prison after they were denied bail to allow further investigations to proceed without interference.

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Seven held in Rubavu over botched tender