The Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education says more than 100 cases of procurement irregularities were recorded in schools last year, highlighting persistent concerns over corruption and weak oversight.
Speaking at a public dialogue on Community Voices on Corruption in the Delivery of Education Services organised by Transparency International Zimbabwe (TIZ) in Bulawayo last Thursday, Director of Procurement at the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education, Sydney Mutodi, said weak enforcement of procurement rules and poor community oversight were fuelling abuse at school level.
Mutodi said his office handled over 100 files referred by the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC) last year, most of them linked to irregular procurement processes in schools.
“In 2025 alone, I processed more than 100 files from ZACC dealing with misprocurement at school level,” Mutodi said.
“The question then is, what was the Ministry’s position in addressing these issues? Were all of them corruption-related?”
His remarks come in the wake of a CITE investigation that exposed how Vordim Trading, a Bulawayo-based company, became a dominant supplier of school buses amid allegations of bribery, tender manipulation and price inflation running into hundreds of thousands of United States dollars.
According to the investigation, inflated prices were allegedly used to fund kickbacks to school officials, including School Development Committees (SDCs), while parents and guardians were left to shoulder the burden through levies and bank loan interest.
Mutodi told the meeting that transparency and accountability were non-negotiable principles in public service, particularly in the education sector.
“Issues of transparency and accountability are foundational principles, particularly at the national level, because they drive economic growth,” he said.
“This is also where public trust is built. At the national level, trust is anchored in transparency and accountability.”
While procurement is often blamed for corruption, Mutodi argued that the real problem lay in enforcement.
“We often point to procurement as the problem, yet the same people involved in procurement understand transparency issues,” he said.
“Most of them are government employees. So where is the real problem? It lies in the enforcement of existing laws.”
He explained that public institutions are governed by the Public Procurement and Disposal of Public Assets Act, but acknowledged that a gap had emerged at school level.
“It is unfortunate that only three months ago we realised that procurement conducted at school level, even in government schools, using levies is not guided by this Act, because those funds are not classified as public funds under the Public Finance Management Act,” Mutodi said.
However, he stressed that this legal distinction did not excuse abuse.
“Regardless of this classification, procurement procedures still have to be followed. At school level, procurement was being done casually and without proper controls. There were many issues, particularly around the procurement of buses.”
Mutodi said Zimbabwe has 11 300 schools and if each spends an average of US$50 000 annually, this translates to about US$590 million spent at school level every year.
“The key question is: how is that money spent? Misuse directly affects national development,” ” he said.
The ministry official said they have an Accounting Officer’s Instruction Manual that guides schools on roles and responsibilities, of which the Procurement Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (PRAZ) has almost completed reviewing the draft that was submitted.
“This should simplify implementation,” he said and warned that unchecked corruption could decimate school leadership across the country.
“We agreed with PRAZ and ZACC that if current trends continue, within two years we may not have a single headmaster left in Zimbabwe’s schools (due to prosecutions).”
“That’s the reason why I am talking about this accounting officer’s manual to provide correct guidance. But we also need assistance from our local leadership.”
Mutodi also highlighted the role of community and political leadership in enabling or failing to stop abuse.
He cited an example where his office received a letter brought by one MP and signed by all the councillors in that constituency saying they wanted a school bus from one supplier
“They came to head office and thought it was going to be easier to go through the Minister’s office, but it was not easier because when they came from the Minister, I said to them, ‘can you request the Minister to put what you are saying in writing? Because I cannot listen to what you got from the constituents.’”
Mutodi revealed some schools completed procurement processes and later sought ministry approval for levies, citing cases from Masvingo Province where schools were advised not to prioritise buses over critical infrastructure such as classrooms.
“Parents argued they needed a bus because children lacked transport for sporting activities, but they were not seeing the classrooms where education is taking place,” he said.
Mutodi also warned against suppliers who lack proper documentation or authorised dealership status.
“Currently I have an issue which I am dealing with the Minister. There’s a supplier who doesn’t even have enough paperwork but he supplies buses. We have a tender that is running. Some suppliers lack proper documentation or authorised dealership status,” he said.
“Buying cheaper buses from unauthorised dealers may seem attractive initially, but problems arise later with servicing, recalls and warranties.”
Read: https://cite.org.zw/parents-protest-uncovers-alleged-corruption-in-school-bus-deals/
The director of procurement said the Ministry responded by strengthening systems, including rolling out the Electronic Government Procurement (e-GP) system, which all government and council schools used in 2025.
“For 2026, we have requested schools to submit procurement plans so the process can be initiated through the e-GP system to reduce corruption and collusion,” Mutodi said.
The Ministry has also issued guidelines clarifying roles at school level, particularly for headmasters, after receiving complaints from teachers and administrators.
“We have cases where headmasters control the entire process, violating principles of segregation of duties,” he said.
“My office has received letters from teachers, senior teachers and administrative officers complaining about certain heads.”
Mutodi said headmasters who insist on controlling procurement must take full responsibility.
“If a head insists on controlling everything, they must sign for everything. If they source quotations themselves, that must be clearly documented. This discourages personal interests in procurement,” he said.
He said that neither he nor the accounting officer, Permanent Secretary for Primary and Secondary Education. Moses Mikhe, directs procurement towards specific suppliers.
“Transparency requires a clear audit trail from procurement planning to contract award,” Mutodi said. “At every stage, it must be clear who did what.”
Addressing the controversial issue of bus procurement, Mutodi said the market was dominated by a few suppliers and fraught with risks.
“There are very few suppliers and pricing varies widely,” he said.
“A bus priced at US$200 000 can end up US$280 000 due to borrowing and interest. Parents then complain about levies, not realising the long-term cost implications.”
Mutodi said parents and communities must also take responsibility by attending meetings and demanding accountability.
“We must practice self-introspection. Why do we want a bus before classrooms? Before staff accommodation?” Mutodi said.
He concluded by warning that procurement fraud would not be tolerated.
“We have agreed with ZACC and PRAZ, where procurement fraud is detected, the law will take its course,” Mutodi said.
“Procedure is procedure. Accountability is accountability. Transparency is essential, and everyone must play their part.”
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