Government officials have dodged corruption allegations amidst reports of unexplained expenditures linked to tenders awarded to allies of the ruling party. The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) is under fire for allegedly awarding a tender to ex-convict and Zanu PF member Wicknell Chivayo to supply election materials for the 2023 elections. This revelation has raised serious concerns about the transparency and integrity of the electoral process in Zimbabwe.
Allegations and Denials
Through a South African company, Ren Form CC, Chivayo, along with Zanu PF central committee member Mike Chimombe and Moses Mpofu, allegedly received more than $40 million. The funds were meant for procuring election materials for the 2023 plebiscite. This scandal has been compounded by another incident where ZEC reportedly procured non-flushable toilets six days before the elections. These 2,000 toilets, valued at $7.6 million, were delivered eight months after the elections, despite the commission having paid for them the previous year.
These transactions came under scrutiny when Citizens Coalition for Change senator Sengezo Tshabangu questioned them in the upper house. He raised concerns about the procurement processes and the potential misuse of public funds. Minister of State for Presidential Affairs, Lovemore Matuke, dismissed the allegations, stating, “The allegations are not substantial. We cannot deal with information that is not substantiated. What the Hon. Senator is saying has no proof. I thought we could research more on that because there is nothing like that which happened. It never came in the public domain, those are simply allegations.”
Despite denials from ZEC, Chivayo, Chimombe, and Mpofu, the allegations have persisted, leading to calls for thorough investigations. Opposition politicians have been particularly vocal, demanding transparency and accountability in the procurement process.
Government’s Stance
Deputy Minister of Justice Legal and Parliamentary Affairs, Norbert Muzungunye, also addressed the allegations, echoing Matuke’s sentiments. He stated, “As far as I am concerned, I feel that question is a specific question which might require time to go back and research more on it and maybe if we do our findings, then we can properly respond to that matter. At the moment, there are still allegations that are not substantiated as has been said already but we may need to go and verify again. I submit.”
The reluctance of government officials to acknowledge and investigate these allegations has intensified scrutiny of ZEC’s procurement processes. The need for stringent oversight and thorough investigations is crucial to maintaining public trust in the electoral process. The procurement of election materials and essential services should be handled with the highest levels of transparency and accountability.
The current allegations against ZEC and government officials underscore the need for stringent oversight and thorough investigations to maintain public trust in the electoral process. The involvement of high-profile individuals like Chivayo and Chimombe in the alleged scandal raises concerns about the influence of political connections on the awarding of tenders. The government’s dismissal of the allegations without substantial investigation could undermine public confidence in its commitment to fighting corruption.
Source: New Zimbabwe
