CORRUPTION scandals in Zimbabwe continue to make headlines, with the latest involving Wicknell Chivayo, Mike Chimombe and Moses Mpofu.
The trio is involved in an ugly fight for spoils after they allegedly bagged a murky US$40 million tender from the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (Zec) to supply election materials ahead of last year’s controversial polls.
The Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (Zacc) last week indicated that it was eager to grill the three for suspected money laundering and fraud. Zacc also announced that it intended to interview Chimombe and Mpofu over the presidential goat scheme, which has also been marred by controversy.
While we commend Zacc for taking action, its investigation must extend to all individuals and institutions involved, including Zec chairperson Priscilla Chigumba and officials from the Office of the President and Cabinet (OPC) and the Central Intelligence Organisation.
Chivayo and company allegedly inflated prices for election materials, and Zec approved the deal despite knowing the prices were excessive. For instance, according to leaked documents, South African firm Ren Form supplied Zec an HP server-Proliant DL380 Gen 10 at US$1,26 million. The same product costs about US$4 695 on Amazon. Who on earth would approve such a crazy deal?
This is the reason we find it strange for Zacc to leave Zec out of this. Chigumba and other Zec officials should be investigated. Chivayo and company did not award themselves the contract. Zec did.
We are talking about public funds here. People are overburdened with several taxes only for government officials to squander the resources without consequences. No. The amount of money wasted could have built schools and health facilities in rural areas.
We urge Zacc to execute its duty fairly and thoroughly, without favour or bias. The commission’s history of “catch and release”, like the one into Chivayo’s source of wealth, however, does not inspire confidence. It also did nothing to investigate corruption allegations against Uebert Angel, Henrietta Rushwaya and others, who were implicated in the Gold Mafia scandal, a four-part investigation by Al Jazeera, for gold smuggling and money laundering.
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Former Health minister Obadiah Moyo, who awarded a US$60 million Covid-19 supply contract to a shelf company called Drax without going to public tender, is a free man. There are many cases like these.
The Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition is right. Corruption has reached a crisis point and good people can no longer remain silent.
The International Monetary Fund says the abuse of public office for private gain erodes people’s trust in government and institutions, makes public policies less effective and fair, and siphons taxpayers’ money away from schools, roads and hospitals. We agree with this observation. Corruption corrodes the government’s ability to help grow the economy in a way that benefits all citizens.
We demand transparency, accountability and justice for all those involved in corruption scandals. Only then can we build a better Zimbabwe for all. Zacc, it is time to show teeth and tackle corruption head-on. Otherwise, the whole nation will collapse. We are also calling upon the OPC to lead by example.
