Officials from the Zimbabwe National Roads Authority (ZINARA) and the Vehicle Inspectorate Department (VID) have been summoned to Parliament to explain what happened to the funds released two years ago for the upgrading of VID premises in Mutare.
This comes after the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Transport and Infrastructural Development toured VID Mutare on Thursday.
It emerged that some facilities earmarked for construction at the VID premises don’t exist despite the Government availing the funds two years ago.
Acting Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee, Novert Muponora confirmed to ZBC News that ZINARA and VID officials have been summoned to Parliament to explain what happened. Said Muponora:
We came here to Mutare in 2020 after receiving information that at VID Mutare, a state-of-the-art hill-start was constructed as well as a carport that was upgraded.
We were told that a weighbridge and border post was almost complete. We realised that this was not so despite the government having disbursed money for the projects.
We are disappointed that we visited again two years later and the projects never took off despite having been promised that the project will be completed within 6 months since funds have been released for the project.
VID Acting Deputy Director, Mr Martin Musengezi who was questioned during the visit by Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Transport and Infrastructural Development said:
Yes, we have this scenario where it is alleged that funds were disbursed but there is nothing on the ground.
We have to go back to the office and check with records and check what really transpired.
We only got to know about it because of auditors who came here to show them the projects that they said on paper work are complete.
It also emerged that ZINARA officials failed to utilise the ZWL$153 million allocated for the construction of a weighbridge at the Forbes border post last year.