A Zimbabwean opposition legislator, Kucaca Phulu, says parliament should thoroughly investigate directors of two companies that tried to sell laptops and desktop computers at inflated prices to the country’s House of Assembly.
“On our part as Members of Parliament we have to raise it in parliament and propose that there be a committee set up to enquire into this scandal so that an investigation is done, an explanation made and obviously recommendations be made about fixing the problem and also dealing with the culprits.”
Phulu said government should stop such tenders in order to save taxpayers’ money.
“There is no way that a grand theft of that scale can be allowed to continue. We need to investigate how in the first place we will end up with such a tender award when we have processes and institutions that are supposed to rationalize the tender process.
“There certainly would have been companies which had reasonable tenders. How is it that those companies were not awarded those tenders and how is it someone who had certainly overpriced not only two times more but 10 times, 20 times more than the value of a computer is awarded that kind of tender? It’s really scandalous. It warrants an investigation and it warrants an investigation and it warrants recommendations so that those who are responsible are punished.”
Zanu PF member, Believe Gaule, says some ruling party activists are also shocked about the manner the tenders were granted.
Finance secretary, George Guvamatanga, said government has cancelled the two tenders and blocked several others with inflated prices.