The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) ordered 2,000 non-flushable toilets on the eve of the August 2023 elections for US$7.6 million.
The toilets were priced at US$3,800 per unit when they retail for about US$300 in South Africa. They were only delivered in April this year – eight months after the election, reported ZimLive.
Surprisingly, the permanent secretary in the Ministry of Finance, Economic Development and lnvestment Promotion, George Guvamatanga authorized the payment on September 7, two weeks after the election had been held.
According to ZimLive, a South African company, Ren-Form CC, at the centre of the alleged corruption in ZEC’s 2023 election procurement, was paid over US$100 million, more than double the US$40 million it was previously thought to have received in several contracts.
Ren-Form CC was awarded the contracts without a public tender, in contravention of the Public Procurement and Disposal of Public Assets Act.
Leaked legal documents suggest that Ren-Form CC was a vehicle used by ex-convict Wicknell Chivayo and associates Mike Chimombe, Moses Mpofu and Scott Sakupwanya to siphon millions of dollars from the Treasury through inflating invoices.
Ren-Form allegedly transferred millions of United States dollars in “commission” to accounts linked to the four business associates. The money was used to buy luxury cars and fund lavish lifestyles.
Leaked voice notes that Chivayo sent to his business associates also suggest that ZEC chairperson Justice Priscilla Chigumba, Guvamatanga, CIO director-general Isaac Moyo, and chief cabinet secretary Martin Rushwaya have all been paid bribes for facilitating the corrupt contracts or expediting payments. They all deny wrongdoing.
ZEC had secured most election materials by August 17, 2023, but on that day, it decided on a new order for 125,000 reflective vests and 2,000 non-flushable portable toilets to be used during the election.
At US$13.50 each, the total bill for the vests came to US$1,687,500. The toilets set cost US$7.6 million, according to invoice number 1557-2 sent to ZEC by Ren Form CC.
Justice Chigumba was listed as the contact person on the invoice.
The invoice also billed ZEC for an outstanding amount for “security paper” for US$44,511.79 and US$623,000 in “extra charges for air charter to deliver V11 Light Boxes due to late payment and to meet deadline.”
The total on the invoice came to US$9,955,011.79.
ZimLive reported that none of the items on the order had been delivered when Zimbabweans went to the polls on August 23.
ZEC did nothing to cancel the order even after the elections had been held. Treasury, on September 7, 2023, settled the full invoice by instructing its bankers CBZ to debit its account number 107-21537300105 and pay Ren-Form CC’s Standard Bank account number 002742659 the full amount of US$9,955,011.79.
However, on Friday, 21 June, issued a statement denying ever engaging Chivayo, Mpofu, and Chimombe to procure election material on its behalf, saying all its procurements were above board. It said:
All materials procured for the 2023 Harmonised Elections were obtained in line with procurement regulations and there was due diligence as all tender processes were subjected to oversight.
We challenge all those alleging that the Commission has a contract with the three individuals to come forward and present the same.
We want to also publicly declare that the actual amounts used for the procurement of all the election materials were far less than the figures being mischievously circulated on social media.
All election materials procured during the 2023 Harmonised Elections were delivered on time.
The Commission has also checked with the supplier who categorically stated in writing that they did not have any contract with the same individuals for the supply of election materials during the 2023 Harmonised Elections.
Meanwhile, the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC) says it is investigating ZEC’s election procurement and Chivayo, Mpofu and Chimombe for alleged money laundering.
