News / Local
Zimbabwe officials lie about corrupt tender
01 Jul 2024 at 12:05hrs | Views
The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (Zec) is embroiled in a severe credibility crisis following revelations of a corrupt US$40 million tender scandal involving Wicknell Chivayo, Moses Mpofu, and Mike Chimombe. Despite Zec's attempts to distance itself from these individuals, evidence suggests they played central roles in securing a tender for biometric voter registration kits and other election materials. The scandal, initially exposed by The NewsHawks, has sparked public outrage and cast doubt on the integrity of Zimbabwe's electoral processes.
Zec claims it followed legal procedures and engaged oversight bodies like the Special Procurement Oversight Committee (Spoc) and the Procurement Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (Praz) in sourcing electoral materials from Ren-Form CC, a South African supplier. However, reports indicate that Chivayo, leveraging his connections with high-profile officials including Zec chairperson Priscilla Chigumba and President Emmerson Mnangagwa, influenced the closed tender process.
Chivayo allegedly orchestrated the deal through intermediaries like Mpofu and Chimombe, who have a history of involvement in controversial tenders. The transaction, reportedly approved by Zec behind the scenes before official procurement processes began, involved inflated invoices and significant financial transfers. Leaked audios and correspondence have further implicated Chivayo in directing funds to various beneficiaries, including himself and officials like Chigumba and the Director-General of Zimbabwe's Central Intelligence Organisation.
Despite Zec's official denial of any contractual links with Chivayo, Mpofu, and Chimombe, evidence points to their integral roles in facilitating the corrupt tender. The scandal has raised serious concerns about misuse of taxpayer funds and threatens Zimbabwe's electoral credibility ahead of future polls. Calls for accountability and transparency have intensified amidst widespread public condemnation and allegations of systemic corruption within Zimbabwe's electoral management body.
Zec claims it followed legal procedures and engaged oversight bodies like the Special Procurement Oversight Committee (Spoc) and the Procurement Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (Praz) in sourcing electoral materials from Ren-Form CC, a South African supplier. However, reports indicate that Chivayo, leveraging his connections with high-profile officials including Zec chairperson Priscilla Chigumba and President Emmerson Mnangagwa, influenced the closed tender process.
Chivayo allegedly orchestrated the deal through intermediaries like Mpofu and Chimombe, who have a history of involvement in controversial tenders. The transaction, reportedly approved by Zec behind the scenes before official procurement processes began, involved inflated invoices and significant financial transfers. Leaked audios and correspondence have further implicated Chivayo in directing funds to various beneficiaries, including himself and officials like Chigumba and the Director-General of Zimbabwe's Central Intelligence Organisation.
Despite Zec's official denial of any contractual links with Chivayo, Mpofu, and Chimombe, evidence points to their integral roles in facilitating the corrupt tender. The scandal has raised serious concerns about misuse of taxpayer funds and threatens Zimbabwe's electoral credibility ahead of future polls. Calls for accountability and transparency have intensified amidst widespread public condemnation and allegations of systemic corruption within Zimbabwe's electoral management body.
Source - online
