New Twist In The ZUPCO, COVID-19 Equipment Saga As PRAZ Denies Involvement
The Procurement Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (PRAZ) on Thursday denied involvement in the procurement of 600 Zimbabwe United Passenger Company (Zupco) buses and coronavirus equipment amid reports of underhand dealings by government officials.
This comes after other government departments perceived to be responsible authorities had also distanced themselves from the murky deals which dragged in the first family and Sakunda Holdings boss Kuda Tagwirei.
The Ministries of Finance and Economic Economic Development; Transport and Infrastructure Development; and Local Government, as well as ZUPCO, have all denied involvement, shifting the blame onto another department.
This comes when the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission and Parliament have initiated investigations into the matters to establish what really transpired.
The Ministry of Finance authorised the procurement of excessively expensive coronavirus equipment by Drax International, a company that was registered this which is reportedly linked to Collins Mnangagwa the son of President Mnangagwa.
Collins, however, denied association with the company while Kuda Tagwirei has distanced himself from Landela, a company that imported the buses and sold them to ZUPCO at exorbitant prices.
The Ministry of Finance told the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Budget and Finance that other government departments and PRAZ are responsible for procurement.
In the end, the authority responsible for procurement is not known although the signature of George Guvamatanga authorised the procurement.
More: Zimbabwe Independent
