Kampala — The National Social Security Fund (NSSF) has cancelled the call for bids to provide project management services for low-cost houses in Temangalo, Wakiso.

The fund had invited bidders to provide the service for a planned estate of about 5,000 houses before the deal stirred a political controversy.

"This is to notify potential bidders that this procurement process has been cancelled. Fresh procurement will be initiated in the near future," an advertisement signed by management said.

The Public Procurement and Disposal of Public Assets Authority (PPDA) said procurement procedures were flouted.

Amama Mbabazi, one of the people who sold the land, argued that according to the NSSF Act, the purchase was an investment and not a procurement and should therefore, not fall under the PPDA Act.

In 2005, another NSSF project that involved the buying of land at Nsimbe on Masaka Road worth billions of shillins led to the sacking of the managing director, Leonard Mpuuma, while minister Bakoko Bakoru left the country.

Hopefully, questionable processes will not become the norm for NSSF as that would tarnish its image in the public eyes.

There have already been persistent calls for pension reform to allow private companies hold funds for retirees but the matter has dragged on.