RA manager quizzed on second bursary

A JUDICIAL inquiry yesterday questioned the credibility of a senior Roads Authority manager who failed to disclose a bursary a roads engineering firm gave to his daughter.

The manager, Lawrence Kiggundu, was cautioned to think carefully before making further statements as he appeared to tie himself in knots while trying to explain what he had said previously. As soon as he had taken the oath, Lawrence Kiggundu faced intense questioning from Otniel Podewiltz, the Legal Counsel for the presidential inquiry into alleged irregularities at the Roads Authority (RA) and the Road Fund Administration (RFA).Podewiltz first read out the name, Sylvia Shingwalulu, and asked Kiggundu to confirm if he recognised it.After the Roads Authority’s Divisional Engineer for Network Planning and Consultation had confirmed that she was his daughter, Podewiltz asked whether Shingwalulu had received a bursary from an engineering company that receives contracts from the parastatal.Podewiltz recalled that when Kiggundu was testifying last year, without being asked, he disclosed that his daughter, Sarah Kiggundu, had received a bursary from Windhoek Consulting Engineers (WCE).He said nothing about Shingwalulu, Podewiltz pointed out.Shingwalulu was given a bursary to study in Namibia by Stewart Scott, an engineering firm.Kiggundu said he did not reveal this as he was not asked about it.Podewiltz said it was “concerning” that Kiggundu omitted the information about Shingwalulu while telling the hearing about his other daughter’s bursary without being asked.”I did not regard it as a conflict of interest because that person [Shingwalulu] was taken up in 1998″ before the Roads Authority was set up, the manager said.In the case of Sarah Kiggundu, who received a bursary from WCE last year to study in Cape Town, Kiggundu said he cleared the matter with RA Chief Executive Officer Justin Runji and the Chairman of the board, Nama Goabab.”Don’t you think if you omit [similar information] it raises questions [about] your credibility,” said Podewiltz.”I want you to realise the seriousness of the position you have created”.Kiggundu was adamant that while at the Roads Authority he “never dealt with procurement” involving Stewart Scott, and therefore a “possible” conflict of interest never arose.”You declared one [bursary].Do you see that it does not tally?” asked Podewiltz.”You cannot declare ‘possible conflict of interest’,” countered Kiggundu.The RA manager also denied that last year he said Sarah Kiggundu had applied for the WCE bursary without his knowledge.Instead, he claimed, she “initiated” the application, although he was the one who requested application forms from the company in charge of the N$180 million Okahandja-Otjiwarongo highway construction that Kiggundu recommended for approval.In his testimony, Kiggundu defended unilaterally adding at least N$3 million to the deal, saying the contract permitted the manager to undercut or increase amounts without needing a green light from seniors.As soon as he had taken the oath, Lawrence Kiggundu faced intense questioning from Otniel Podewiltz, the Legal Counsel for the presidential inquiry into alleged irregularities at the Roads Authority (RA) and the Road Fund Administration (RFA). Podewiltz first read out the name, Sylvia Shingwalulu, and asked Kiggundu to confirm if he recognised it. After the Roads Authority’s Divisional Engineer for Network Planning and Consultation had confirmed that she was his daughter, Podewiltz asked whether Shingwalulu had received a bursary from an engineering company that receives contracts from the parastatal. Podewiltz recalled that when Kiggundu was testifying last year, without being asked, he disclosed that his daughter, Sarah Kiggundu, had received a bursary from Windhoek Consulting Engineers (WCE). He said nothing about Shingwalulu, Podewiltz pointed out. Shingwalulu was given a bursary to study in Namibia by Stewart Scott, an engineering firm. Kiggundu said he did not reveal this as he was not asked about it. Podewiltz said it was “concerning” that Kiggundu omitted the information about Shingwalulu while telling the hearing about his other daughter’s bursary without being asked. “I did not regard it as a conflict of interest because that person [Shingwalulu] was taken up in 1998” before the Roads Authority was set up, the manager said. In the case of Sarah Kiggundu, who received a bursary from WCE last year to study in Cape Town, Kiggundu said he cleared the matter with RA Chief Executive Officer Justin Runji and the Chairman of the board, Nama Goabab. “Don’t you think if you omit [similar information] it raises questions [about] your credibility,” said Podewiltz. “I want you to realise the seriousness of the position you have created”. Kiggundu was adamant that while at the Roads Authority he “never dealt with procurement” involving Stewart Scott, and therefore a “possible” conflict of interest never arose. “You declared one [bursary]. Do you see that it does not tally?” asked Podewiltz. “You cannot declare ‘possible conflict of interest’,” countered Kiggundu. The RA manager also denied that last year he said Sarah Kiggundu had applied for the WCE bursary without his knowledge. Instead, he claimed, she “initiated” the application, although he was the one who requested application forms from the company in charge of the N$180 million Okahandja-Otjiwarongo highway construction that Kiggundu recommended for approval. In his testimony, Kiggundu defended unilaterally adding at least N$3 million to the deal, saying the contract permitted the manager to undercut or increase amounts without needing a green light from seniors.