Some Harare City Council officials are accused of pushing for the purchase of 500 desktop computers at US$4 000 each, above the market price of about US$700.
A tender process was reportedly done sometime this year and procurement officials selected a firm that pegged a single desktop between US$3 000 and US$4 000 while dumping offers of lower prices.
Harare town clerk Engineer Hosiah Chisango told The Herald on Sunday that the deal was blocked, while Mayor councillor Jacob Mafume described the deal as “criminal”, saying it will not be allowed.
The Herald reported a well-placed source within the procurement department as saying the blocked deal was just the tip of the iceberg. Said the source:
Yes, we had indeed sourced quotations for the supply of more than 500 desktops.
The price ranged from US$3 000 to US$4 000 for each desktop. Our budget was US$2 million for the desktops.
Despite us having done the paperwork and now awaiting payment, the move has been blocked.
Almost everything we buy as procurement prices will be inflated. There is serious corruption happening, but only benefiting top brass.
Harare Residents Trust director, Precious Shumba, said the inflation of the cost of goods and services by the procurement department at Harare townhouse has been normalized. He said:
Corruption is deep-rooted and the perpetrators are not being held accountable. Reports that someone wanted to purchase desktops for US$4 000 each are not surprising.
The Harare Residents Trust has received numerous reports of the inflation of the cost of goods and services by their procurement division.
Ironically, there is a clique of council officials involved in these corrupt deals, but they are untouchables.
Combined Harare Residents Association Rueben Akili said it was unacceptable to buy the desktops at a time when the local authority was unable to provide critical services.
