Local Government minister Ignatius Chombo has appointed a probe team to investigate how Harare City Council has been awarding multi-million-dollar tenders for various projects, including water treatment chemicals.
Report by Moses Matenga The latest probe follows recent reports that a local company, MT and N Distributors, owned by businessman Alex Mashamhanda, recently delivered cyanide to Harare’s Morton Jaffray Waterworks following a “mix-up” at its warehouse. The matter raised a stink with residents demanding a thorough investigation.
Chombo confirmed the development yesterday, adding the team, led by Civil Protection Unit director Madzudzo Pawadyira, would start its work today.
“We suspended the chairperson of the procurement board (Julius Musevenzi) to facilitate investigations on procurement procedures. The team is working on that tomorrow (today) for the next 10 days to look at how tenders work and if they indeed followed procedures in giving the tenders,” Chombo said. “The team will also look at other reports that at one time (local firm) Mashwede supplied salt to the local authority.”
Chombo’s deputy Sesel Zvidzai attributed the water treatment chemicals fiasco to Harare City Council’s lack of preparedness to monitor operations following Unicef’s pullout a few months ago.
“We weaned these local authorities too early without gauging their state of preparedness and without making sure there were enough reserves, so all the chaos is being caused by panic orders and emergency purchases,” Zvidzai said. “My fear is a cholera outbreak is upon us and it might catch us on the wrong side. I think we have to engage Unicef because I am convinced they are ready to come back.”
