JWTZ na helikopta za Mtumba

Before military choppers deal landed in court: Ikulu was warned, asked to intervene

THISDAY REPORTER
Dar es Salaam

PRESIDENT Jakaya Kikwete’s State House was sometime this year asked to intervene in the controversial military helicopters deal before the matter finally landed in the High Court this week, THISDAY can now reveal.

It has been established that State House was formally informed about the intricacies of the deal and warned that the Ministry of Defence and National Service had bought civilian helicopters that were unsuitable for military operations.

In a letter addressed to State House Chief Secretary Philemon Luhanjo, dated April 3 this year, proprietors of the Dar es Salaam-based Khaisa Enterprises Limited company endeavoured to explain how the defence ministry had allegedly breached its contract with the firm for the supply of the choppers.

’’We know that the breach of contract was the result of (a decision by) the Ministry of Defence to purchase four civilian helicopters, known as Agusta Bell 412EP, from a different company,’’ said the company’s executive chairman Mouhidin A.S in the letter to Luhanjo.

He added: ’’You may wish to know that the plan to buy such civilian helicopters was waived earlier, as this type was not recommended for military use and it’s not a multi-purpose helicopter - it is only for commercial operations.’’

According to Mouhidin, it was quite a surprise to everybody when the already rejected Agusta Bell aircraft were eventually purchased by the defence ministry for use by the Tanzania Peoples� Defence Forces (TPDF).

In his letter to State House, the Khaisa Enterprises top executive also pressed for compensation from the government, on grounds that the defence ministry’s own correspondence to the company clearly stated that the government would be responsible for the costs incurred in the deal.

It could not be immediately ascertained if the company had received any response from State House before finally deciding to open litigation proceedings against the government this week.

Khaisa Enterprises Limited is suing the Ministry of Defence and National Service, with its permanent secretary as principal officer and therefore first respondent, for a total of 10 million euros (approx. 16.8bn/-) in compensation.

In civil case number 74 of 2007 filed at the High Court in Dar es Salaam on Thursday, the company accuses the defence ministry of ’’unlawfully dishonouring’’ a 2002 agreement between the two parties over the supply of the choppers.

The attorney general has also been named as second respondent in the plaint, by virtue of his position as the government’s chief legal advisor.

According to a copy of the plaint obtained from the High Court, Khaisa Enterprises claims that the defence ministry went against a valid contract in which the company was to supply six units of COUGAR AS 532 helicopters at a total cost of 125 million euros (approx. 210bn/-).

The 16.8bn/- being claimed as compensation is said to be equivalent to an 8 per cent commission that the company stood to earn, if the aborted deal had actually gone through.

Apart from the compensation package, Khaisa Enterprises is also seeking a refund for payment of $100,000 (approx. 130m/-), being commission to the would-be financiers of the project, costs of the suit, plus any other relief that the High Court may decide.

In the suit, the city-based company claims to have spent a lot of money in covering travel costs and other expenses for delegations of senior TPDF officers to inspect the COUGAR helicopters in France, in anticipation of clinching the deal.

Investigations by THISDAY have previously established that the defence ministry purchased the controversial Agusta Bell civilian choppers through Merlin International Limited, another Dar es Salaam-based company owned by businessmen Shailesh Vithlani and Tanil Somaiya.

Apart from being reportedly unsuitable for military operations, the Agusta Bell aircraft are also said to have been overpriced by close to $20m (approx. 26bn/-).

Merlin International is the same company linked to the government’s purchase of a similarly controversial, $41m (approx. 52bn/-) military radar system, which is currently at the centre of a local and international corruption investigation.

The company was also behind the sale of a $40m (50.7bn/-) Gulfstream presidential jet to the third phase government of former president Benjamin Mkapa, the supply of over 600 IVECO military trucks to TPDF at a price exceeding 90bn/-, and other big defence contracts involving the government.
 
17bn/- military choppers case against government: City firm now goes for out-of-court settlement

THISDAY REPORTER
Dar es Salaam

A DAR ES SALAAM company involved in a 17bn/- legal wrangle with the government over the controversial military helicopters tender now wants to settle the matter out of court.

Well-placed government sources say the company, Khaisa Enterprises Limited, has already sent written correspondence to President Jakaya Kikwete and other senior government officials seeking to end legal proceedings at the High Court.

It is understood that the other government officials that the company has written to include Prime Minister Mizengo Pinda, Defence and National Service Minister Dr Hussein Mwinyi, Chief Secretary Philemon Luhanjo, Chief of Defence Forces General Davis Mwamunyange, and Attorney General Johnson Mwanyika.

It could not be immediately established if and how the government has responded to the request.

The deal, which dates back to 1994 and was signed in 2004, has currently come back into sharp focus following last week’s fatal crash involving a Tanzania People’s Defence Forces (TPDF) helicopter in Arusha, in which all six people aboard were killed.

It was the second of the four Agusta Bell model 412 EP choppers, bought by the defence ministry for military use in dubious circumstances, to crash in the space of just six months - the first tragedy occurring in the Lake Natron area last December leading to the death of one person (the pilot).

The High Court litigation was initiated last year by Khaisa Enterprises proprietors against the defence ministry, seeking 10 million euros (approx. 17bn/-) compensation for ’’unlawfully dishonouring’’ an agreement between the two parties over the supply of the helicopters.

In the civil case number 74 of 2007 filed at the High Court in Dar es Salaam, the Attorney General is also named as a respondent alongside the defence ministry, by virtue of his position as the government’s chief legal advisor.

According to a copy of the plaint obtained from the High Court, Khaisa Enterprises claims that the defence ministry went against a valid contract in which the company was to supply six units of COUGAR AS 532 helicopters at a total cost of 125 million euros (approx. 210bn/-).

The 10 million euros being claimed as compensation is said to be equivalent to an 8 per cent commission that the company stood to earn if the deal had gone through.

Apart from the compensation package, Khaisa Enterprises is also seeking a refund for payment of $100,000 (approx. 120m/-), being commission to the would-be financiers of the project, costs of the suit, plus any other relief that the High Court may decide.

In the suit, the company claims to have spent a lot of money in covering travel costs and other expenses for a delegation of senior TPDF officers to inspect the helicopters in France, in anticipation of clinching the deal.

Attached to the plaint was a photocopy of the passports of the TPDF officers who were flown to France in 1998, to view the aircraft at the Eurocopters plant in Paris. This team was led by Brigadier General Reginald Chonjo, the then TPDF in-charge of planning and development.

Other members of the delegation were Brig. Gen. Philemon Kirigiti (TPDF chief of logistics and engineering); Lieutenant Colonel Mbaga (aviation and radar expert); Captain Ben Ntanga (army pilot and helicopters expert); and Major Mbaraka Issa Komba (army aircraft technician).

A second delegation of senior army men, led by Major General Makitosi who was then the TPDF Air Wing commanding officer, is said to have also been flown to Paris by Khaisa Enterprises in 2001, and subsequently recommended the COUGAR choppers for purchase by the defence ministry.

Khaisa Enterprises also claims that after a thorough investigation and the physical visits to the Paris-based factory by the TPDF delegation, it was agreed that a draft contract for the supply of the multi-role COUGAR choppers be prepared along with the supply of 1,200 rockets.

However, according to the plaint filed by Khaisa Enterprises, as negotiations were proceeding ’smoothly’ with the government over the choppers supply deal and after incurring huge consultancy costs, it then emerged that a different company had manoeuvred its way into the lucrative deal.

It has been established that instead of the COUGAR choppers that Khaisa Enterprises were peddling, the defence ministry eventually opted to go for the Agusta Bell model 412 EP aircraft being offered from another source through a local middleman, Shailesh Vithlani.

Vithlani, managing director of the Dar es Salaam-based Merlin International Ltd, is the same ’agent’ who was also behind the similarly-controversial 70bn/- military radar deal, as well as a number of other questionable defence contracts.
 



THISDAY REPORTER
Dar es Salaam

A DAR ES SALAAM company involved in a 17bn/- legal wrangle with the government over the controversial military helicopters tender now wants to settle the matter out of court.

Well-placed government sources say the company, Khaisa Enterprises Limited, has already sent written correspondence to President Jakaya Kikwete and other senior government officials seeking to end legal proceedings at the High Court.

It is understood that the other government officials that the company has written to include Prime Minister Mizengo Pinda, Defence and National Service Minister Dr Hussein Mwinyi, Chief Secretary Philemon Luhanjo, Chief of Defence Forces General Davis Mwamunyange, and Attorney General Johnson Mwanyika.

It could not be immediately established if and how the government has responded to the request.

The deal, which dates back to 1994 and was signed in 2004, has currently come back into sharp focus following last week’s fatal crash involving a Tanzania People’s Defence Forces (TPDF) helicopter in Arusha, in which all six people aboard were killed.

It was the second of the four Agusta Bell model 412 EP choppers, bought by the defence ministry for military use in dubious circumstances, to crash in the space of just six months - the first tragedy occurring in the Lake Natron area last December leading to the death of one person (the pilot).

The High Court litigation was initiated last year by Khaisa Enterprises proprietors against the defence ministry, seeking 10 million euros (approx. 17bn/-) compensation for ’’unlawfully dishonouring’’ an agreement between the two parties over the supply of the helicopters.

In the civil case number 74 of 2007 filed at the High Court in Dar es Salaam, the Attorney General is also named as a respondent alongside the defence ministry, by virtue of his position as the government’s chief legal advisor.

According to a copy of the plaint obtained from the High Court, Khaisa Enterprises claims that the defence ministry went against a valid contract in which the company was to supply six units of COUGAR AS 532 helicopters at a total cost of 125 million euros (approx. 210bn/-).

The 10 million euros being claimed as compensation is said to be equivalent to an 8 per cent commission that the company stood to earn if the deal had gone through.

Apart from the compensation package, Khaisa Enterprises is also seeking a refund for payment of $100,000 (approx. 120m/-), being commission to the would-be financiers of the project, costs of the suit, plus any other relief that the High Court may decide.

In the suit, the company claims to have spent a lot of money in covering travel costs and other expenses for a delegation of senior TPDF officers to inspect the helicopters in France, in anticipation of clinching the deal.

Attached to the plaint was a photocopy of the passports of the TPDF officers who were flown to France in 1998, to view the aircraft at the Eurocopters plant in Paris. This team was led by Brigadier General Reginald Chonjo, the then TPDF in-charge of planning and development.

Other members of the delegation were Brig. Gen. Philemon Kirigiti (TPDF chief of logistics and engineering); Lieutenant Colonel Mbaga (aviation and radar expert); Captain Ben Ntanga (army pilot and helicopters expert); and Major Mbaraka Issa Komba (army aircraft technician).

A second delegation of senior army men, led by Major General Makitosi who was then the TPDF Air Wing commanding officer, is said to have also been flown to Paris by Khaisa Enterprises in 2001, and subsequently recommended the COUGAR choppers for purchase by the defence ministry.

Khaisa Enterprises also claims that after a thorough investigation and the physical visits to the Paris-based factory by the TPDF delegation, it was agreed that a draft contract for the supply of the multi-role COUGAR choppers be prepared along with the supply of 1,200 rockets.

However, according to the plaint filed by Khaisa Enterprises, as negotiations were proceeding ’smoothly’ with the government over the choppers supply deal and after incurring huge consultancy costs, it then emerged that a different company had manoeuvred its way into the lucrative deal.

It has been established that instead of the COUGAR choppers that Khaisa Enterprises were peddling, the defence ministry eventually opted to go for the Agusta Bell model 412 EP aircraft being offered from another source through a local middleman, Shailesh Vithlani.

Vithlani, managing director of the Dar es Salaam-based Merlin International Ltd, is the same ’agent’ who was also behind the similarly-controversial 70bn/- military radar deal, as well as a number of other questionable defence contracts.
 
Naelewa kuwa hili la helikopta za mitumba liliwahi kuzungumzwa hapa JF na michango kadhaa imetolewa. Hata hivyo kuna kitu kimenisukuma kutaka mada hii wana-JF tuliangalie kwa mapana zaidi. Kinachonijia akili kwa mtazamo wangu huenda ni kutojali au ujeuri wa wahusika katika kulifatilia kwa umakini jambo hili na angalau kuchukua hatua.

Nijuavyo baada ya helikopta hizo aina ya Agusta Bell model 412 EP kununuliwa kwa utaratibu batili watu walinyooshea kidole JWTZ na Usalama wa taifa. Sina kumbukumbu ya kilichofata zaidi ya kusoma kwenye magazeti juu ya kesi ya kudai fidia ilifonguliwa na kampuni ya Khasia Enterprise LTd kudai fidia kutoka JWTZ kwa kuvunja mkataba wa ununuzi wa helikopta hizo.

Kilichonisukuma zaidi kuweka hii topic hapa kwa mara nyingine ni jinsi gani uzembe na urafi wa watu wachache unavyosababisha maisha ya watu wengine kupotea...Kati ya helikopta 4 zilizonunuliwa, 2 zimeshaanguka na watu wamepoteza maisha. Kwa maoni yangu kama waliohusika na uchafu huu hawatachukuliwa hatua kuna uwezekano mkubwa hili likajirudia tena. Kwani kuna tabia ya binadamu kuangalia matokeo ya tatizo la kwanza alillosababisha.

Pia napata ugumu na mtiririko mzima wa ununuzi wa helikopta hizi na kuhusika tena kwa Shailesh Vithlani ambaye inasemekana alihusika pia katika ununuzi batili wa rada. Huyu muhindi ana mazingaombwe gani ya kutufunika watanzania hadi kutuibia kiasi hiki?? Kwani huyu muhindi aliwatia mchanga wa macho maafisa kadhaa wa JWTZ kukubali awatafutie hizo helikopta kwa bei ya dola za kimarekani milioni 9.2 badala ya bei ya awali iliyotolewa na Khasi Enterprises Ltd ya dola za kimarekani milioni 4.7 kwa kila helikopta.

Napata uchungu jinsi tunavyogeuzwa wajinga kwa kuibiwa mchana kweupe wakati huo huo maisha ya watu yakipotea. Nina imani hata famili za marehemu waliokufa katika ajali ya moja ya hizo helikopta huko Arusha wakilijua ( huenda wanalijua kupitia vyombo vya habari)hili itawauma sana ingawa wote tunaamini kuwa kifo kimepangwa lakini kuna uzembe mahali fulani.

Nashauri hata hizo helikopta 2 zilizobaki zisitumike tena kuepusha madhara mengine zaidi. Na hao maafisa wa JWTZ waliohusika na ununuzi wenye milungula hebu wafikishwe kwenye vyombo vya sheria jamani.

Samahani kama kuirudisha mada hii tena kutawakwaza wana-JF lakini lengo langu ni kutaka tuliangalie hili jambo kwa mapana zaidi.

Naomba kuwasilisha.
 



hii ndio helicopter aina ya COUGAR AS 532 iliyokuwa ikipendwa inunuliwe na GENERALI MBOMA...lakini haikununuliwa..badala yake wakanunua ..agusta bell...COUGAR NI HELICOPTER NZURI ZAIDI YA KUFAA KWA MEDANI-MAPIGANO...PIA INAFAA KWA SURVEILLANCE NA USAFIRISHAJI UOKOAJI ..KUZIMA MOTO....NA ZAIDI INAFAA KUSAFIRISHIA VIP..ie kumpeleka RAIS ,MAKAMU ,WAZIRI MKUU,...MIKOANI NA MJINI ESPECIALLY WAKATI WA PEAK HOURS ..ILI KUONDOA USUMBUFU WA BARABARANI....KENYA WANAZO MODEL HII KUBWA ZINAZOBEBA WATU 29...KWA MATUMIZI YA IKULU...NA JESHI.




hizi ni helicopter feki za augusta bell ambazo zinatumika kwa matumizi mepesi ya kijeshi ,kipolisi au usafirishaji....



HIZI NI HELICOPTER ZA APACHE AMBAZO NI KIBOKO YA MEDANI NA MAPAMBANO...INASADIKIWA KUWA UGANDA NA RWANDA WANAZO USED KAMA HIZI.....
 
Ninasikitika kwa yote ila ninaomboleza kwani ajali ile imemuua classmate wangu ambaye alikuwa ndiye fundi na msaidizi wa rubani; Mungu amlaze mahala pema Leuftenant Henry Kirunga. The Ifunda group won't 4get u man, Tuonane paradiso kijana wa Lyandembela,mbele yetu na nyuma yako Henry,We mourn.
 
nasikia kwamba ajali ilisababisha na dei waka ... huwa anaachiwa time ya kupaki tu safari hii alijaribu kuendesha mpaka mwisho ikamshinda
 
Hivi report ya ajali hadi leo haijatoka?????

Ni nini chanzo cha ajali hiyo??????
 
Pole Kipanga. Bila shaka huyo Mhindi mnunuzi anapanga na viongozi wa ngazi za juu kabisa ndio maana ataendelea kunyonya nchi mpaka atakapopenda yeye.

Wanajeshi utadhani wako mstari wa mbele kulinda maslahi ya taifa. Lakini zikija helikopta za mitumba watakubali, mradi wagawiwe kitu cha kutosha. Ukidhani watajali uwezo wa hizo zana kulinda taifa unajidanganya.
 
Hili gazeti la THIS DAY lilikuwa linafukunyua vitu vizito sijui kwanini Mengi ameamua kutoendelea nalo.
 
Moshe Dayan said:
THISDAY REPORTER
Dar es Salaam

A DAR ES SALAAM company involved in a 17bn/- legal wrangle with the government over the controversial military helicopters tender now wants to settle the matter out of court.

Well-placed government sources say the company, Khaisa Enterprises Limited, has already sent written correspondence to President Jakaya Kikwete and other senior government officials seeking to end legal proceedings at the High Court.

It is understood that the other government officials that the company has written to include Prime Minister Mizengo Pinda, Defence and National Service Minister Dr Hussein Mwinyi, Chief Secretary Philemon Luhanjo, Chief of Defence Forces General Davis Mwamunyange, and Attorney General Johnson Mwanyika.

It could not be immediately established if and how the government has responded to the request.

The deal, which dates back to 1994 and was signed in 2004, has currently come back into sharp focus following last week's fatal crash involving a Tanzania People's Defence Forces (TPDF) helicopter in Arusha, in which all six people aboard were killed.

It was the second of the four Agusta Bell model 412 EP choppers, bought by the defence ministry for military use in dubious circumstances, to crash in the space of just six months - the first tragedy occurring in the Lake Natron area last December leading to the death of one person (the pilot).

The High Court litigation was initiated last year by Khaisa Enterprises proprietors against the defence ministry, seeking 10 million euros (approx. 17bn/-) compensation for ''unlawfully dishonouring'' an agreement between the two parties over the supply of the helicopters.

In the civil case number 74 of 2007 filed at the High Court in Dar es Salaam, the Attorney General is also named as a respondent alongside the defence ministry, by virtue of his position as the government's chief legal advisor.

According to a copy of the plaint obtained from the High Court, Khaisa Enterprises claims that the defence ministry went against a valid contract in which the company was to supply six units of COUGAR AS 532 helicopters at a total cost of 125 million euros (approx. 210bn/-).

The 10 million euros being claimed as compensation is said to be equivalent to an 8 per cent commission that the company stood to earn if the deal had gone through.

Apart from the compensation package, Khaisa Enterprises is also seeking a refund for payment of $100,000 (approx. 120m/-), being commission to the would-be financiers of the project, costs of the suit, plus any other relief that the High Court may decide.

In the suit, the company claims to have spent a lot of money in covering travel costs and other expenses for a delegation of senior TPDF officers to inspect the helicopters in France, in anticipation of clinching the deal.

Attached to the plaint was a photocopy of the passports of the TPDF officers who were flown to France in 1998, to view the aircraft at the Eurocopters plant in Paris. This team was led by Brigadier General Reginald Chonjo, the then TPDF in-charge of planning and development.

Other members of the delegation were Brig. Gen. Philemon Kirigiti (TPDF chief of logistics and engineering); Lieutenant Colonel Mbaga (aviation and radar expert); Captain Ben Ntanga (army pilot and helicopters expert); and Major Mbaraka Issa Komba (army aircraft technician).

A second delegation of senior army men, led by Major General Makitosi who was then the TPDF Air Wing commanding officer, is said to have also been flown to Paris by Khaisa Enterprises in 2001, and subsequently recommended the COUGAR choppers for purchase by the defence ministry.

Khaisa Enterprises also claims that after a thorough investigation and the physical visits to the Paris-based factory by the TPDF delegation, it was agreed that a draft contract for the supply of the multi-role COUGAR choppers be prepared along with the supply of 1,200 rockets.

However, according to the plaint filed by Khaisa Enterprises, as negotiations were proceeding 'smoothly' with the government over the choppers supply deal and after incurring huge consultancy costs, it then emerged that a different company had manoeuvred its way into the lucrative deal.

It has been established that instead of the COUGAR choppers that Khaisa Enterprises were peddling, the defence ministry eventually opted to go for the Agusta Bell model 412 EP aircraft being offered from another source through a local middleman, Shailesh Vithlani.

Vithlani, managing director of the Dar es Salaam-based Merlin International Ltd, is the same 'agent' who was also behind the similarly-controversial 70bn/- military radar deal, as well as a number of other questionable defence contracts.
Click to expand...


Tujikumbushe hizi taarifa, je kuna anayefuatilia hili? Je, kuna hatua zozote zilizochukuliwa? tuanze kufufua makaburi maana tumebaki kuimba na S2 na S3 (baada ya iPhone Hata Samsung wana S5).
 
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