Four former energy ministers are being probed over Wicknell Chivayo deals. Former Energy ministers, Elton Mangoma (MDC-T), Dzikamai Mavha...
Four former energy ministers are being probed over Wicknell
Chivayo deals. Former Energy ministers, Elton Mangoma (MDC-T), Dzikamai
Mavhaire (Zanu PF), Samuel Undenge (Zanu PF) and former Energy deputy minister
Munacho Mutezo (Zanu PF), played different roles in the awarding of shady
energy supply deals to businessman, Wicknell Chivayo’s Intratek and paying him
$5,6 million without a bank guarantee in the $200 million Gwanda Solar Project.
The Zimbabwe Power Company board appeared before Parliament
yesterday but refused to further elaborate on the action to be taken against
Chivayo, for fear of jeopardising investigations into the matter.
ZPC board member and chairperson of the power utility’s
finance and procurement committee, Thandiwe Mlobane implicated Mangoma,
Undenge, Mavhaire and Mutezo, accusing them of issuing ministerial directives
to suspended ZPC managing director, Noah Gwariro to award Chivayo the tender,
and to pay him the $5,6 million without a bank guarantee.
“Gwariro was involved in a very serious accident, which
left him unable to move or speak, but we knew there was political pressure on
Gwariro to pay Chivayo the $5,6 million without the bank guarantee, but we
wanted to hear it from Gwariro and it was until December (2017), when he got
better when we pointed out to him that the Labour Act would have protected him
from listening to political pressure from the ministers,” she said.
“Even for Intratek to be awarded the contract in 2013
(Mangoma’s tenure), it was political and even the deputy Energy minister Mutezo
gave a go-ahead that he must be awarded.
“Mangoma gave a go-ahead for the feasibility study and
Intratek even sought the assistance of Mutezo, and Mavhaire awarded the
contract, while the pressure for the money to be paid without a bank guarantee
came from Undenge.”
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