Defence ministry: N$8 million was for 'thousands' of parts
The defence and veterans affairs ministry yesterday rejected claims made on social media by Affirmative Repositioning (AR) leader Job Amupanda that the ministry had paid about N$8 million for a single vehicle spare part.
According to the executive director of the ministry, Wilhelmine Shivute, the invoice that Amupanda shared on social media was for the purchase of thousands of vehicle parts for the army's Werewolf armoured personnel carrier to ensure that the vehicles were ready for use in military exercises last year.
"He went on to say that this money was distributed into the pockets of those who support a corrupt party, so that they can 'buy face', and things of that nature. He concluded by saying that he was simply depicting how these people continue to steal and that voting for them on November 27 means the continuation of theft and looting," Shivute said.
Shivute said Namibia held military exercises with Botswana last year and purchased the parts to refurbish specific vehicles for these exercises.
The parts ordered from Windhoek Maschinenfabrik were intended for a single type of vehicle and were listed as one item, even though thousands of parts were ordered.
Furthermore, the specific invoice was never paid because the work was not completed by the end of the financial year, she explained.
The exercises only took place in June, not in March as originally expected.
The order was therefore included with other work to create another invoice, which was paid later, she added.
"Windhoek Maschinenfabrik is the manufacturer of the Werewolf vehicle, and thus major repairs and parts are ordered from there," she said.
"It was for parts, not one part," she stressed.
No photos allowed
Yesterday, the ministry allowed the local press to view the list of parts at a press conference, although photos and prints were not permitted.
The invoice includes prices such as N$68 783 for clutch basket retainers at N$687.62 each; water cooler assemblies at N$182 280 for ten; 10 000 brake block rivets at N$305 000; 40 headlight assemblies at N$20 454; 200 lamps at N$13 230 and N$128 465 for 500 brake cylinder repair kits.
Shivute said the ministry typically does not respond to every public claim, but in this case, it was necessary.
"It’s just becoming too much now. It’s election time, and this claim says a certain party is being favoured.
"Therefore, we feel it is very important to prove what we have done and show the public that we are not political," she said.
Questions about procedures
Officials in the defence ministry have questioned the procedures used to acquire the parts.
One said: “This bid was issued via direct procurement, which effectively exempted the ministry from following the formal public procurement process or open tender process. This means they did not source at least three quotations in order to get competitive prices.”
Another official asked: “Shouldn’t there be a threshold for this type of direct procurement at ministerial level and how many direct procurement directives can be issued per financial year at ministerial level? Otherwise, this creates a perpetual loophole in the public procurement system that needs to be fixed immediately.”
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According to the executive director of the ministry, Wilhelmine Shivute, the invoice that Amupanda shared on social media was for the purchase of thousands of vehicle parts for the army's Werewolf armoured personnel carrier to ensure that the vehicles were ready for use in military exercises last year.
"He went on to say that this money was distributed into the pockets of those who support a corrupt party, so that they can 'buy face', and things of that nature. He concluded by saying that he was simply depicting how these people continue to steal and that voting for them on November 27 means the continuation of theft and looting," Shivute said.
Shivute said Namibia held military exercises with Botswana last year and purchased the parts to refurbish specific vehicles for these exercises.
The parts ordered from Windhoek Maschinenfabrik were intended for a single type of vehicle and were listed as one item, even though thousands of parts were ordered.
Furthermore, the specific invoice was never paid because the work was not completed by the end of the financial year, she explained.
The exercises only took place in June, not in March as originally expected.
The order was therefore included with other work to create another invoice, which was paid later, she added.
"Windhoek Maschinenfabrik is the manufacturer of the Werewolf vehicle, and thus major repairs and parts are ordered from there," she said.
"It was for parts, not one part," she stressed.
No photos allowed
Yesterday, the ministry allowed the local press to view the list of parts at a press conference, although photos and prints were not permitted.
The invoice includes prices such as N$68 783 for clutch basket retainers at N$687.62 each; water cooler assemblies at N$182 280 for ten; 10 000 brake block rivets at N$305 000; 40 headlight assemblies at N$20 454; 200 lamps at N$13 230 and N$128 465 for 500 brake cylinder repair kits.
Shivute said the ministry typically does not respond to every public claim, but in this case, it was necessary.
"It’s just becoming too much now. It’s election time, and this claim says a certain party is being favoured.
"Therefore, we feel it is very important to prove what we have done and show the public that we are not political," she said.
Questions about procedures
Officials in the defence ministry have questioned the procedures used to acquire the parts.
One said: “This bid was issued via direct procurement, which effectively exempted the ministry from following the formal public procurement process or open tender process. This means they did not source at least three quotations in order to get competitive prices.”
Another official asked: “Shouldn’t there be a threshold for this type of direct procurement at ministerial level and how many direct procurement directives can be issued per financial year at ministerial level? Otherwise, this creates a perpetual loophole in the public procurement system that needs to be fixed immediately.”
– [email protected]
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