Minister of Transport and Infrastructural Development Joram Gumbo has claimed that former president Robert Mugabe stalled the $240 million, Beitbridge Border Post upgrade after it was alleged to be an initiative of (then) Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s Team Lacoste faction. Speaking to Southern Eye, Gumbo said,
I came into the ministry when the tender had already been awarded by the SPB, (then) my work was just to take it to Cabinet, that is when the then President said he was not keen to borrow to fund the upgrade. He (Mugabe) instructed Finance minister Patrick Chinamasa to fundraise for the project and have it undertaken by a local company.
…That was what happened, yet I had nothing to do with the deal. I was introduced to the ministry way after the tender had been awarded, but because it was me bringing it to Cabinet and linked to Mnangagwa, they said it was a Lacoste deal, so as a balancing act the then President stalled it.
The project was commissioned by President Emmerson Mnangagwa last week.
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