Parliament says ZINARA staff, board must be investigated for abuse of office

Under these contracts, Univern received the following huge amounts:

1. Grader payments $17 305 240, (An overpayment of $1 223 640);
2. Grader maintenance $ 5 218 000 (Not covered nor provided for in State procurement conditions of award of tender); and

• US $ 70 403 738 from the three software contracts between 2012 and 2015.

A review of the payment vouchers raised by ZINARA for the purchase of the eighty (80) graders reveal that the total payments made to Univern for the motorised graders amounted to USD 17 305 240.

Grader maintenance costs for the period 2013 to first four months of 2015 amounted to a total of USD 5 218 000.

The table below shows an estimation of the amounts due to Univern for the commission relating to the motor vehicle licencing system, tolling system and transit fees system:

The total amounts thus paid to Univern between 2012 and 2015 were as follows:

Software contracts                $ 47 510 365

Motorised Graders               $ 17 305 240

Maintenance                           $ 5 218 000

Others                                        $ 370 133

Total                                             $ 70 403 738

Univern’s Software Contracts

The Committee makes the finding that the three software contracts referred to above, were not awarded properly in terms of the procurement laws of Zimbabwe.

In addition, the Committee makes the finding that there was a deliberate misleading of the State Procurement Board, which acting on wrong information or alternatively in collusion with same proceeded to issue a condonation.

The Committee makes a further finding that the issuance of a condonation by the State Procurement Board, in respect of Univern’s three software contracts was done illegally and outside the provisions of the Procurement Act [Chapter 22:14] and therefore is a nullity.

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