Members of the parliamentary committee on Commissions, Statutory Authorities and State Enterprises (Cosase) have demanded more documentation on a specialised fire-fighting vehicle recently procured by the Uganda Civil Aviation Authority (UCAA) at Shs 5.3985 billion.
During an earlier physical inspection of Entebbe International Airport, the MPs examined the vehicle but said UCAA had failed to provide documents proving its ownership and details of the procurement.
UCAA later submitted a copy of the registration book for motor vehicle UA38070AA, showing that it was registered on June 22, 2026, with UCAA listed as the registered owner. The vehicle is identified as a Lion 6X6 Aircraft Rescue and Fire Fighting (ARFF) vehicle, manufactured in Turkey, fitted with a Scania engine and classified in the registration documents as an engineering plant.
However, the registration documents did not resolve the MPs’ concerns over the cost of the vehicle. Cosase chairperson Muwada Nkunyingi demanded an explanation of the price and the procurement process.
UCAA director general Fred Bamwesigye defended the expenditure, saying the vehicle was not an ordinary fire truck but specialised equipment required to respond to emergencies involving aircraft.
Samuel Wonekha, the acting director of airports, said the vehicle is fitted with a water tank with a capacity of about 12,500 litres, foam equipment and specialised tools for accessing damaged aircraft and evacuating passengers.
He said the vehicle also has a specialised generator to power equipment used to cut through aircraft during rescue operations.
UCAA officials told the committee that the vehicle was procured at a lower cost than similar equipment acquired by other airports in the region following negotiations with suppliers.
The explanation, however, did not satisfy the committee, which said it wanted documentary evidence showing how the final price was arrived at rather than general descriptions of the vehicle’s functionality.
The committee instructed its researchers to establish the market price of similar Lion 6X6 ARFF vehicles and compare it with UCAA’s procurement cost.
It also directed the Criminal Investigations Directorate (CID) to verify the authenticity of the registration documents and establish whether the vehicle belongs to UCAA.
UCAA was ordered to submit the complete procurement file by close of business, including documents showing the procurement process, supplier, specifications, negotiations and final purchase price.
The committee also raised concerns over a transformer reportedly procured from Vietnam at about Shs 2.3 billion but which had not been delivered by the time of the inspection.
The pending transformer delivery was among the issues earlier identified by the committee as requiring an explanation from UCAA management.