Maputo, 15 Oct (AIM) – The Mozambican Ministry of Transport and Logistics claims that the Suspension of contract for Machipanda Border Post modernization, worth 37 million dollars, is a provisional judicial step intended to safeguard rights while the matter is under review.
The Ministry’s reaction follows the decision by Maputo City Administrative Tribunal, the body responsible for checking the legality of public expenditure, to suspend an international public tender for alleged lack of transparency.
The 25 years granting process, launched by the Ministry of Transport and Logistics, had been awarded to the Chinese firm Union Energy/Zhongmei.
The Tribunal’s decision to suspend the tender follows a formal complaint filed by a competing bidder Safaga International Management, which claimed to have invested over 5.8 million dollars in the application process.
The company also pointed to several irregularities, including insufficient justification for the decision, flawed evaluation of criteria, doubts regarding the technical and financial feasibility of the winning proposal, an improperly constituted selection committee, and violations of the principles of equality, transparency, and fair competition.
According to the Ministry of Transport and Logistics, in a statement issued by the government’s press office (GABINFO), the tender was not suspended, as “an injunction, or precautionary measure, is a provisional judicial step intended to safeguard rights while the matter is under review. It does not constitute a cancellation of the tender, nor is it a final ruling on the legality of the procedure.”
The government also claims that the process followed the established criteria for eligibility, qualification, and evaluation.
“Given that this is a strategic project for the development of the Beira Corridor and for improving the movement of people and goods, the government remains committed to ensuring its implementation in a manner that safeguards the public interest, reiterating its respect for court decisions and its commitment to legality, transparency, and the defense of the public interest”, reads.
The modernization of Machipanda Border Post – a major inland gateway connecting Mozambique (Manica Province) and Zimbabwe (Mutare / Forbes Border Post) along the Beira Corridor – includes the construction of an international freight terminal, a passenger terminal, and a new international bridge over the Machipanda River.
Am/