MDC-T blasts ZANU-PF for awarding $400 million tender to criminal Chivayo

The Movement for Democratic Change has castigated the Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front for being thoroughly corrupt to the extent that it has turned a blind eye on a convicted criminal and awarded him a $400 million energy tender.

In a statement following Energy Minister Samuel Undenge’s admission that rules were broken in awarding an energy tender to Intratrek, a company said to be owned by Wicknel Chivayo, MDC-T spokesman Obert Gutu said his party was deeply appalled by the fact that the solar tender to Intratek was not awarded based on proper tender procedures.

“Even the Energy Minister, Samuel Undenge, has since publicly admitted that the award of this tender was dodgy and also that the advance payment of $5 million to Intratek was downright criminal and clearly improper.”

Gutu, a lawyer, accused ZANU-PF of playing cheap politics.

“It is a matter of public record that one Wicknell Chivayo is an ex convict. It's also public knowledge that the Gwanda power project is yet to take off. There is no evidence of public works having commenced on the project to date,” he said.

“The majority of Zimbabweans are incensed by the crude and ostentatious manner in which one Chivayo has been splashing ill-gotten tender money including spoiling Grace Mugabe and her family with gifts and free upmarket restaurant meals in Dubai. 

“Simply because one Chivayo has ‘donated’ some of his dirty money to bankroll the Zimbabwe national team, the Warriors, as well as purchasing air tickets for a few stranded Zimbabwean ladies in Kuwait, he is now the new national superman.  And even his dirty past has been sanitized as money changes hands in high office towers. How cheap!”

Chivayo was convicted of money laundering in 2005 and sentenced to five years but two years were suspended. He lost his appeal against the sentence. The court record gives him name as Wicknel Munodaani Chivhayo.

Gutu said there was overwhelming evidence that Chivayo was nothing but a front for some highly placed and extremely corrupt ZANU-PF regime functionaries and apologists.

“Chivayo is nothing but a runner for well-connected local and international criminals and wheeler dealers,” he said.

“As for Energy Minister Undenge, he is the alpha and omega of corruption within the country's energy sector. Only recently, he was in the news for awarding a so-called public relations contract to a dodgy and briefcase company fronted by one Psychology Maziwisa and Oscar Pambuka. Samuel Undenge is not fit and proper to remain as a Cabinet Minister. He is essentially a common law criminal masquerading as a government official. What a shame!”

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