Principal Judge warns new PPDA tribunal

The chairperson of PPDA, Mr Francis Gimara, takes oath at the High Court in Kampala before the Principal Judge, Justice Flavian Zeija, yesterday. PHOTO | ABUBAKER LUBOWA

What you need to know:

  • The team that included Uganda Law Society president Francis Gimara, lawyer Nelson Nerima and procurement specialists George Kakira and Paul Kalummba, were appointed by the Ministry of Finance in June upon expiry of a term led by lawyer Olive Zaale Otete. The team had served two terms since 2014.

Principal Judge Flavian Zeija has warned the newly appointed members of the Public Procurement and Disposal of Public Assets (PPDA) Appeals Tribunal against being compromised by public officials and companies.

Justice Zeija said the PPDA Appeals Tribunal should exercise integrity in hearing complaints of aggrieved bidders and procurement entities.

“As tribunal members, you have public officials and companies. The public officials tend to compromise the processes to get their side source of income and companies can petition to block the process in order for them to rectify their mistakes,” Justice Zeija said while presiding over the swearing in of the new members at the High Court in Kampala yesterday.

The team that included Uganda Law Society president Francis Gimara, lawyer Nelson Nerima and procurement specialists George Kakira and Paul Kalummba, were appointed by the Ministry of Finance in June upon expiry of a term led by lawyer Olive Zaale Otete. The team had served two terms since 2014.

Justice Zeija cautioned the new tribunal that some bidding companies have a tendency of filing petitions that have no merit.
He asked the tribunal to ensure expeditious disposal of petitions to avoid backlog that usually delays the implementation of government projects.

Mr Saki Mansoor Atiku, the tribunal registrar, said the new leadership will foster growth to the tribunal.
Mr Francis Gimara, the tribunal chairperson, pledged to uphold the core values of the tribunal in order to deliver justice.

“We will be guided by the words of the oath which we have taken to perform our duties without fear or favour, affection or ill-will. I bring you the greatest assurance that for the period during which we hold this office, we will be devoted to the fulfilment of this promise,” Mr Gimara said.

He commended the outgoing team for setting a record in adjudicating procurement disputes and ensuring no case backlog for the six years they served.