Maputo, 30 Sep – Disbursement of 49.5 million meticais (175, 000 US dollars at the current exchange rate) for acquisition of vehicles for the Constitutional Council (CC) – Mozambique’s highest body on constitutional and electoral law – sparks public criticism following the selection of four suppliers.
The controversy follows a publication in the daily newspaper “Notícias”, in which the CC awarded four contracts for the acquisition of vehicles with values ranging from 1.9 million to 27. 8 million meticais (from 29,000 to 435,000 US dollars at the current exchange rate).
The publication points out that a contract worth 27.8 million meticais for a Mercedes-Benz vehicle was awarded to Multi Franchise Comércio Automóvel, while an 18 million meticais contract for a Hyundai Palisade was awarded to Ronil, Limitada.
The document also points out that a 1.9 million meticais contract for a Toyota Hiace and 1.7 million meticais for a Toyota a Hilux 4×4 was awarded to Brumarine Rent A Car SU, Limitada.
Critics believe that this amount of money for renewal of the vehicle fleet does correspond to the country’s current financial situation.
According to Dinis Tivane, former spokesperson of the National Alliance for a Free and Autonomous Mozambique (Anamola), the political party led by Venancio Mondlane – former presidential candidate and main political opponent of the ruling Frelimo party – the law governing state procurement prohibits the purchase of a specific item.
“For instance, it does not call for the purchase of specific brands or models of vehicles, such as a Mercedes-Benz X, Y, or Z. Why did the Ministry of Finance allow the acqusition through the Procurement Supervision Functional Unit (UFSA) or the State Financial Administration System (SISTAFE)?” Tivane questioned in a post on his Facebook account.
Am/
