The City of Kigali has pledged to strengthen its procurement processes as it prepares to acquire another road cleaning truck, following concerns raised over a recently purchased vehicle that failed to meet several contractual specifications. The commitment was made on Thursday, July 2, as City officials appeared before the Public Accounts Committee (PAC), which is reviewing findings in the Office of the Auditor General's report for the 2024/25 fiscal year. ALSO READ: City of Kigali introduces modern road cleaning technology The Auditor General's report found that the truck failed to meet a significant number of contractual requirements. Of the 24 technical specifications outlined in the contract, 15 were missing, while five others did not meet the required standards. The audit also found that the City failed to provide sufficient evidence that the truck was brand new and could not adequately account for the mileage it had accumulated before delivery. Lawmakers questioned why the vehicle had been accepted despite the shortcomings. ALSO READ: Kigali’s smart street-cleaning revolution driven by innovation and dignity PAC Chairperson Valens Muhakwa said public institutions should not accept goods that fail to meet contractual requirements. If it did not meet the required specifications, why did you receive it? Muhakwa asked, noting that the truck had already accumulated a significant number of kilometres before delivery. City Manager Stella Kabahire acknowledged weaknesses in the procurement process and said the lessons learned would guide future purchases. We are planning to buy another truck and will apply the lessons learnt from this experience. The mistakes identified in the previous procurement are being corrected in future procurements, Kabahire said. She added that despite the procurement challenges, the existing truck remains operational and continues to support the City's road-cleaning activities. ALSO READ: Kigali’s road cleaning revolution must leave no one behind Kabahire said the City had intended to procure a truck that met all technical requirements, but some specifications were found to be missing after delivery. Instead of rejecting the vehicle, she said, the City withheld payment for the missing items. She also explained that part of the recorded mileage resulted from the manufacturer's testing and staff training, while about 1,500 kilometres were accumulated during transportation from the Port of Dar es Salaam. Kabahire acknowledged that the City did not keep adequate records showing when the mileage was accumulated, describing this as a key lesson for future procurements. However, Auditor General Alexis Kamuhire said deducting part of the contract value did not justify accepting equipment that failed to meet agreed specifications. He noted that the truck weighs 11.17 tonnes, below the 12.97 tonnes required under the contract. If the truck did not comply with the contract, it should not have been received. Deducting some money is right. If the missing items were insignificant, would the money be deducted? Kamuhire said. Muhakwa also questioned whether the officials who drafted the technical specifications were the same ones who inspected the vehicle upon delivery. In response, City officials said some of the original specifications were later found to be impractical in the local market. They added that four missing items were identified during inspection and that the supplier was not paid for them.
