Govt speaks on Wadyajena $3 million road deal

GOVERNMENT says the Golden Valley-Sanyati Road project being worked on by a company linked to Zanu-PF Gokwe-Nembudziya member of Parliament Justice Mayor Wadyajena is going ahead despite reservations over alleged failure to meet deadline.

Mayor Contracting (Pvt) Ltd was contracted to work on the road but his task had come under threat following reservations by the engineer of the project over the delay.

In a statement, the ministry of Transport and Infrastructural Development said Wadyajena's company was contracted to start work on 19 October 2021 and end on 10 December 2021 at the total sum of US$3 930 397.21.

"Mayor Contracting Pvt (Ltd) won the tender in a competitive bid MOTID/ERRP2/28/2021 for Golden Valley – Sanyati road re-construction in accordance with Public Procurement Act (Public Procurement and Disposal of Public Assets Act)," the statement read in part.

"The tender was published in the Government Gazette and Manica Post on 10 September 2021 and the Sunday Mail 12 September 2021. Mayor Contracting Pvt is an entity registered with PRAZ and CIFOZ and the road is in Mashonaland West rural."

"The works progress is at 5km base 2; 1.8km base 1. The overall progress to date is 25%. The work done to date meets standard and specification.  Contractor cited delays caused by Covid-19 restrictions and his key staff on site were affected by the pandemic as well as rains."

The government said no payment was made to Mayor Contracting either "as advance for mobilisation or work done to date."

"The Project Engineer is seeking for project determination not termination.  By determination each party retains its rights and obligations under the contract."

But according to a letter dated 17 January 2022 addressed to the secretary for Transport and Infrastructural Development written by an official who signed off as S. Gomo, the Mashonaland West provincial roads engineer, the company had failed to perform, hence the proposal for determination.

"The project engineer, acting in terms of Clause 65 (1) (e) of the ZGCC4 (1984), hereby writes to the employer certifying that the contractor, Mayor Contracting (Pvt) Ltd contracted to carry out the above-mentioned contract has failed to perform according to the conditions of contract," the letter read in part.

"It is the opinion of the Project Engineer that the contractor is unable to execute the works in accordance to the approved programme of works.

"Find attached the notice of contract determination written to the contractor and response thereto which the project engineer has studied and reached a conclusion that the contractor is unable to execute the works. Furthermore, the contractor has not yet furnished the client with requisite performance bonds and insurances required for contract signing," Gomo wrote in the letter.

"We recommend that the employer proceed with contract determination," the letter, also copied to the chief director of roads, read.

In a response through a letter signed by one P Wadyajena responding to the provincial engineer dated 6 January 2022, the company committed to finishing the work as agreed and pleaded for an extension within 35 days and blamed the Covid-19 pandemic and breakdown of equipment for the delay.