Publisher wants to open a Pandora's Box on Zupco's opaque deal

A local media publishing company, Zimind Publishers (Pvt) Limited, owned by Trevor Ncube, together with Transparency International Zimbabwe Trust, has cornered government to release information on procurement of Zimbabwe United Passenger Company (Zupco) buses, court papers show.

This follows recent reports that a shadowy company known as Landela Investments (Pvt) Ltd (Landela) linked to local tycoon Kuda Tagwirei had sold q bus to government for US$212 962 after purchasing them from China for US$58 900.

Tagwirei has denied the claims.

This was also despite the fact that the government had initially signed a hire purchase agreement with Landela.

The matter has spilled to the High Court where Zimind Publishers and Transparency International have filed an application seeking an order compelling ministers of Local Government, Finance, Transport and Zupco to release information on how the deal was structured.

Zimbabwe Independent editor Faith Zaba said the move prompted by failure to get information from the ministers who have distanced themselves from the issue since last year.

This has a potential of opening a Pandora's Box on the opaque deal which has been in the news for months.