Anti-graft bodies to probe reddened officials

Officials from the government anti-graft bodies; Police, Prosecutor General’s Office and the office of the ombudsman are to meet soon to institute a probe team to investigate public officials who have continuously flouted tendering rules. Tenders awarded by government institutions have come under heavy scrutiny and have raised many questions in the past, with persistent reports that the tendering processes are always marred by lack of transparency. There is concern that contractors connive with the government officials in question to rip-off government in the process. In an interview with The New Times, the Spokesperson of Public Prosecution, Augustin Nkusi, revealed that government officials found to have engaged in graft related practices during the awarding of several tenders will be brought to book. “We are in the final stages. We shall look at all the tenders awarded so far and those officials found culpable will be punished,” said Augustin Nkusi. “While government believes in fairplay, we are getting very frustrated by continuous irregularities orchestrated by government officials.” He said tender cases already investigated indicate that tenders are being awarded in total disregard of normal tendering procedures. “It has become a habit. Leaders and contractors sign contracts and later violet them,” Nkusi explained. According to Nkusi, cases where initial money is paid to a contracted firm but later contractors demand additional payments have become numerous. Many government officials have in the past been arrested for allegedly indulging themselves in bending rules that govern the tendering process in the institutions. Last week, police arrested the Executive Secretary of the Eastern Province, Charles Gasana for allegedly embezzling government funds through flouting tendering procedures. Gasana allegedly connived with Vincent Gatwabuyege, the former Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Infrastructure and Alexis Mugarura, a businessman to approve hundreds of millions as additional money for constructing the Provincial headquarters. Information obtained from Prosecutor General’s Office indicates that the Province headquarters was supposed to cost Rwf 1.7billion. Gasana is accused of having illegally authorised and signed papers that allowed Mugarura access to extra funds for the construction of provincial headquarters. Rwanda has been at the forefront of fighting corruption with jailing of several government officials making headlines in the recent past. Prominent officials who have ended up in jail over allegedly flouting tendering procedures include the Director General of the National Institute of Statistics (NIS) Dr Louis Munyakazi. Ends