Biti demands judicial inquiry into Trabablas Interchange project

Former Finance Minister Tendai Biti has called for a forensic audit and the establishment of a judicial commission of inquiry into the staggering US$114 million cost of the newly commissioned Trabablas Interchange in Harare - a figure that has sparked widespread public outcry and allegations of massive financial impropriety.

The multi-level interchange, recently unveiled by President Emmerson Mnangagwa, was touted as a major infrastructure achievement. However, revelations from the Ministry of Finance that the project cost more than three times the regional average have raised serious questions about transparency and accountability.

Speaking to 263Chat, Biti described the reported cost as "a financial black hole," claiming that public funds are being siphoned off under the guise of development.

"The Trabablas Interchange should not have cost more than US$40 million. Now the Minister of Finance goes to Parliament and says it cost US$114 million. A forensic audit must be carried out. A Judicial Commission of Inquiry must be conducted," Biti said.

Biti outlined three core areas of concern: the actual construction costs, the procurement process, and the authenticity of the expenditures. He questioned the absence of independently verified bills of quantities and demanded that construction costs be validated through a transparent and impartial review.

"Where are the bills of quantities that reflect the true construction costs? The true costs of construction need to be verified and established through an independent process," he added.

Biti also raised serious concerns over the awarding of the contract to Fossil Contracting, a company linked to businessman Kudakwashe Tagwirei - a figure at the center of several controversial state-linked projects.

"Was the Public Procurement and Disposal of Public Assets Act complied with? On what basis was the contract awarded to Fossil's Tagwirei consortium?" Biti asked.

Fossil Contracting, along with Tagwirei's other entities such as Sakunda Holdings, has been tied to multi-billion-dollar government programs including the Command Agriculture scheme - a programme that has never been subjected to full public accounting despite receiving over US$3 billion in funding.

The Ministry of Finance has said the Trabablas project was partially funded through Zimbabwe's allocation of Special Drawing Rights (SDRs) from the International Monetary Fund (IMF). But Biti challenged the legality and fairness of this expenditure, invoking Section 298 of the Constitution, which mandates transparency, accountability, and equitable resource allocation - especially to marginalised communities.

"The people deserve to know how their money is spent," Biti said. "Projects of this magnitude must not only serve national development but must also reflect integrity, fairness, and value for money."

The growing controversy has added pressure on Finance Minister Mthuli Ncube and other senior government officials to publicly disclose detailed expenditure reports and procurement documentation.

As public outrage intensifies, civil society groups and opposition leaders are expected to join calls for an independent investigation, amid fears that the interchange may become a symbol of elite corruption rather than national progress.