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Mangoma distances self from Chivayo Gwanda solar project tender scam

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RENEWAL Democrats of Zimbabwe and former Energy Minister Elton Mangoma has written to Speaker of Parliament Advocate Jacob Mudenda, requesting to be invited before the Parliamentary committee on Mines and Energy to clear his name over the Wicknell Chivayo Gwanda solar project tender scam.

RENEWAL Democrats of Zimbabwe and former Energy Minister Elton Mangoma has written to Speaker of Parliament Advocate Jacob Mudenda, requesting to be invited before the Parliamentary committee on Mines and Energy to clear his name over the Wicknell Chivayo Gwanda solar project tender scam.

by Everson Mushava

Mangoma was one of the four ex-ministers who served under former President Robert Mugabe between 2013 and 2017 being investigated for allegedly turning the Zimbabwe Power Company (ZPC) into their feeding trough, flouting tender procedures to line up their pockets.

The four — Mangoma (MDC-T), Dzikamai Mavhaire (Zanu PF), Samuel Undenge (Zanu PF) and former Energy deputy minister Munacho Mutezo (former Zanu PF) — were named by the Temba Mliswa-led committee as having played different roles in the awarding of shady energy supply deals to Chivayo’s Intratek and paying him $5,6 million without a bank guarantee in the $200 million Gwanda Solar Project.

But Mangoma, in a letter to Mudenda dated March 13, said the March 12 committee session smeared his name and gave the impression that he was involved in Chivayo’s shady deals.

“I write to ask to appear before the said committee, so that I not only clear my name but also enlighten the committee on reported matter and other issues,” Mangoma wrote. “At no time was I involved in the tender with Intratek and Chivayo.”

The ZPC board on Monday told Parliament that Chivayo, and all those implicated were now being probed by the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (Zacc) and Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) but refused to elaborate on the action to be taken against Chivayo.

The board claimed Intratek won the tender in 2013 (Mangoma’s tenure) politically after Mutezo gave the go-ahead that he must be awarded. They said Mangoma approved the feasibility study and Intratek and even sought the assistance of Mutezo and Mavhaire awarded the contract, while pressure for the money to be paid without a bank guarantee came from Undenge.