By Evans Dakwa
In a shocking expose which confirms the rot in Zimbabwe’s tendering system and the cartels it has created to loot national resources, South Africa’s Financial Intelligence has confirmed the assertions of organised looting made in the ZEC/Chivayo election material procurement deal.
Post election 2023, a local publication unearthed the shenanigans involved in the ZEC/Chivayo election procurement deal which we were told went up to treasury. Social media bulldogs were unleashed to defend the deal and the unwilling whistle blowers of the deal Mike Chimombe and Moses Mpofu are languishing in prison of course for crimes unrelated but many believe is punishment for their leaking of the sensitive deal.
Now the grand looting involved in the deal has been exposed and clear double standards by treasury chiefs who on one hand block certain contracts from getting paid citing inflated pricing while on the other hand signing off huge amounts that are worse in terms of prejudicing the state coffers.
Investigations by South Africa’s Financial Intelligence says SA election supply firm REM Form paid companies linked to Chivayo R800 mln from R1.1 billion received from Zimbabwe treasury. This means instead of paying 300 million Rand for the election material, Zimbabwe paid 1.1 billion. with 800 million of that going to Chivayo and his associates.
Many Zimbabweans have been outraged and rightfully so and are asking why didn’t ZEC seek clearance to just pay 300 m direct to Ren form? Of course ZEC wouldn’t do that because clearly there was a grand scheme at play.
” I have no problem with Sir Wicknel, he is a tenderprenuer and is doing his deals.I have bigger problems with those that always prioritize paying him before delivery when many SMEs are getting out of business by supplying government and not be paid in time,” said one concerned citizen.
Another one says,” No medication in hospitals that 800m could have gone to the health sector things would have been better.
Some are of the opinion that this is all happening but cause the country has very weak systems.
“If ever we are to succeed as a nation, there is need to come up with institutions and strong laws to pluck out from office and hold to account any leader who turns criminal against the country, said one citizen commenting on social media.
Zimbabwe is currently procuring cancer machines direct from suppliers which means our laws on procurement can be waived for things of national importance and had ZEC done that, the country could have saved 800million rand.
What is enraging most Zimbabweans is that this deal came out after being leaked, what of the other ones that have not been allowed in the public domain? How much more is the cash strapped country losing in these seemingly elaborate schemes to bleed the economy for personal gains?