Chivayo - Zesa tender begs investigation

Published: 04 June 2018

The Mines and Parliamentary Committee has recommended that Zesa reclaim its money from businessman, Wicknell Chivayo and that the two parties be investigated for the manner the tender was awarded.

The committee has for a while been nothing, but thunder and lightning without any rainfall, but at least now they have taken the right step.

Chivayo's appearance before the committee was at best farcical and at worst tragic, as he failed to provide satisfactory answers.

The state of the Gwanda solar project begs quite a lot of answers and Chivayo did not cover himself in glory.

Instead, he was his usual boastful self and many rightly ask the source of his wealth.

The Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (Zacc) has its work cut out for it and should now move in swiftly to deal with the Zesa-Chivayo issue.

If there is anything that is hampering the fight against corruption, it is Zacc, as they seem to take a partisan approach into dealing with issues.

The Chivayo tender has been begging for an investigation for quite a long time, but all we have got from Zacc is eerie silence.

Now that the parliamentary portfolio committee has put the ball in Zacc's court, we wait to hear how the body will deal with this case.

This is also key as it goes to the heart of what President Emmerson Mnangagwa has been promising - that he will fight against corruption.

So far, there has not been much of a fight, as the anti-corruption war has stuttered and there seems to be no co-ordinated approach.

Thus, Mnangagwa, the special anti-corruption unit he set up in his office and Zacc are literally on trial and how they handle the Chivayo issue would be instrumental in showing whether they are any genuine in the so-called fight against corruption.

If they were to act, it would be a sign that there is a semblance of seriousness and if they do not, the sceptics will feel they have been proven right.

Lack of action will also bring questions on the power of the legislature, because if they make recommendations that are not acted upon, then Parliament is nothing more than an expensive paper tiger.

The parliamentary portfolio committee has done their part and they ought to be applauded for it.

We wait with bated breath to see what action authorities will take.
- newsday

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