ENTEBBE AIRPORT EXPANSION! Insider exposes how Chinese firm CCCC, CAA flouted procurement laws

CAA DG Fred Bamwesigye (L) and Zheng Biao, Country Manager CCCC pictured together recently.Photo by Julius Bamwesigye

A former staff of China Communication Construction Company (CCCC) has pinned officials of Uganda Civil Aviation Authority (UCAA) over ignoring all procurement laws in the USD200M Entebbe Airport Expansion project and gifting it to a Chinese contractor.

While appearing before the Committee of Commissions, Statutory Authorities and State Enterprises (COSASE) Tuesday 8 February, Levi Musinguzi a former Assistant Business Development Manager at CCCC told the Committee that the contractor took leverage of working on Kampala-Entebbe Expressway to solicit for a deal to expand the Entebbe Airport, a deal Government fell for without scrutiny.

Musinguzi said he had reservations about using the word procurement when it came to the airport expansion works because it didn’t go through the normal procurement chain of 160 days and therefore, the contract had no tender documents as required in the Public Procurement and Disposal of Assets Authority Act.

“If there was a tender document which I know, there wasn’t. It was supposed to be generated by UCAA and the Ministry of Works, in this case, there was no such document. If anyone claims there was, they should avail the list of those who participated in the tender processes. You will certainly see that there was only CCCC that had been brought on board,” said Musinguzi.

However, the meeting later turned dramatic when Zheng Biao, Country Manager CCCC in Uganda denied recalling Musinguzi working on documentation of the Entebbe airport expansion project, saying all he recalled was Musinguzi conducting general duties around the office like photocopying documents.

“All I know is that he did general work in the office like photocopying documents,” said Zheng.

Asked by Nathan Itungo (Kashari South County) what other duties he carried out during his four years at CCCC, a visibly angry Musinguzi promised to table before Parliament documents to prove his qualifications and duties with CCCC.

He said: “I am only shocked that when I photocopy documents, just because it is lying in my docket, I am regarded as a photocopier. I am going to avail to the Committee, documents where I signed as a sent proxy of CCCC including correspondences with Uganda National Roads Authority.”

Musinguzi also told Parliament that he was prompted to resign from CCCC after sensing the contractor was trying to bid for another contract with a fictitious company for Masaka-Bukakata Road.