Tender awarding was against the law, says ACT-Wazalendo

Unguja. Opposition party ACT-Wazalendo has insisted that the recent awarding of various tenders in Zanzibar violated the procurement act  because it did not meet the emergency threshold that was used in the selection of the companies.

Last week, while addressing a press conference at State House, President Mwinyi said the accelerated awarding of the tender to reconstruct the Amani Stadium, the construction of the Airport Road, and the Malindi Port was due to an emergency situation.

"Single source and restricted bidding are allowed by the law in circumstances where there is an emergence, like in the situation of the reconstruction of the Amani Stadium," the President said.

Addressing hundreds of supporters at a rally in Nyarugusu, Zanzibar, ACT Wazalendo National Executive Council member Ismail Jussa said it was not a privilege for government officials to choose when to follow the laws of the land.

"Who amongst us did not know 10 years ago that in 2024 we would be celebrating 60 years of Zanzibar’s revolution? Now how does that become an emergency?" questioned Jussa.

Mr. Jussa also claimed that some of the companies that were awarded the tenders had been blacklisted and therefore did not qualify to do business with the government.

"The law requires that, in order to protect public funds, any company that is awarded such multi-billion-dollar tenders should deposit performance guarantee fees, but this was not the case in many of the tenders that have been awarded recently," he said.

In his assessment, it was not a wise move to spend so much money upgrading the Malindi Port’s software only for its management to be taken over by a private company.

"The President did not answer our questions, and as a political party, it is our constitutional duty to hold those in government to account," he said.

Mr. Jussa also alleged the Zanzibar Anti-Corruption and Economic Crimes Authority of being misused by powers to intimidate businessmen.

"Tax collection cannot be criminalised because there are entities that deal with that, and this will only discourage those who want to invest in our country," he said.

Also speaking at the rally, the party’s Vice Chairman and First Vice President, Othman Masoud Othman, said the only reason they have embarked on a 12-leg rally across Unguja and Pemba is to explain to the electorate what the party stands for through its brand promise agenda.

"This party was only two years old when a ban on political rallies was imposed; therefore, we did not have the opportunity to reach out to the people to explain what we stand for and the Zanzibar that we aspire to lead," he said.

He added: We are here to speak on your behalf, to question the authorities on some of the decisions that they make, and where necessary, to provide an alternative as an opposition party.