DRC: LICOCO invites Tshisekedi to cancel the construction market of the Presidential Palace

The Congolese League Against Corruption (LICOCO) has invited the head of state, Félix Antoine Tshisekedi, to proceed with the cancellation of the procurement procedure for the construction and rehabilitation of the presidential offices. According to Ernest Mpararo, it is a question of privileging expenditure having an impact on poverty than of financing prestige expenditure.

Indeed, this anti-corruption structure considers this project of the Presidency of the Republic amounted to 180 million euros as a non-budgeted expenditure. If it shouts scandal, LOCOCO also asks the President of the Republic to reconsider his decision.

« The award of this contract is not urgent, although we recognize that the construction of a Presidential Palace is necessary but not urgent. The estimated price (180 million euros) for the rehabilitation of these two projects is also exorbitant and this raised many questions. Because, both projects are not budgeted in the draft budget 2019, « said Ernest Mpararo in a statement to Zoom Eco.

In view of the urgency, LICOCO asks the Head of State to cancel this market and launch another market by national and international bidding.

He added: « He should also punish the councilors who wanted to mislead you. Because, there are suspicions of return commission in the attribution of such a market. « 

Parliamentarians, LICOCO to ask the Minister of Finance and the governor of the Central Bank of Congo (BCC) not to authorize the release of funds if there is no national and international bidding. They should also ask the Minister of Finance about the appropriateness of such an expense.

« To the actors of the civil society, to denounce this market and to mobilize the citizens on the relevance of such an expense; to ask that we allocate these funds to projects having an impact on the fight against poverty such as financing the construction of military camps, police camps, education, « recommended Ernest Mpararo.

Nadine FULA