TINASHE MAKICHI
Transport and Infrastructure Development Minister, Joe Biggie Matiza, has given the Civil Aviation Authority of Zimbabwe (CAAZ) board, the green light to go ahead with a controversial deal to implement the country’s aerospace management system.
Matiza believes Zimbabwe’s air traffic management system requires urgent attention and any move to re-tender for the contract, which has been in the past subject of an undue process scandal, will be time consuming.
CAAZ had been in discussions with Afreximbank for $25m funding for the project, but later changed its mind on account of Indra Sistema’s alleged lack of capacity to handle the project, and also that the award of the tender (originally valued at $33m) did not follow due process.
There are also concerns that the tender may have been inflated and then Minister Joram Gumbo could have directly influenced the tendering process.
Matiza told Business Times last night that the CAAZ board had recommended the Spanish firm.
“We actually got the recommendation from the same board that gave me the historical background of the deal and the approvals that Indra had received from all the regulatory authorities. After that we thought it was prudent to give the green light because we need to move fast,” Matiza said.
“As it stands right now the Zimbabwe airspace is a black spot and we think this project is critical and must go ahead with immediate effect. The country has also been losing revenue and it is critical that air traffic management is made a priority. Any move to re-tender the deal will be time consuming.
“Indra is also the original equipment manufacturer of all the equipment proposed and is committed to fully install and put in operation the complete system in 18 months.”
CAAZ board chairman Thembinkosi Magwaliba told Business Times that the deal had always received the green light, but it had to be split into two separate transactions.
He said the deal received the approval of both the State Procurement Board and the Office of the President and Cabinet. It was only the implementation that was yet to be executed. “The only confusion in people’s minds emanates from the fact that the deal was split into two separate transactions, with one being the ground-to-air system which has to be urgently executed.”
However, documents seen by Business Times show the State Procurement Board had given Indra the award on the basis that they had “a funding package” through a company called HOMT. But as this never materialised, ordinarily the tender has to be cancelled.
