The Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC) is investigating cases of procurement malpractices at Lupane State University (LSU) that include irregular tender awarding, and inflating invoices and bills, CITE has learnt.
Last year, CITE published stories detailing how LSU was embroiled in controversy following allegations of corruption against the institution’s Vice Chancellor and other senior university officials, particularly the purchase of the institution’s farming projects.
For instance, concerns were raised on the farm shed and dip tank projects where funds meant to construct a dip tank were diverted to procure tarpaulin pond liners at an exorbitant price.
Read the articles here https://cite.org.zw/lupane-state-university-in-corruption-storm/ and https://cite.org.zw/lsu-corruption-scandal-deepens-as-more-rot-exposed/
These articles earned CITE an award for exposing Institutional corruption, at the ZACC’s inaugural Anti-Corruption Media Awards in November last year.
Addressing journalists at an anti-corruption reporting media workshop on Monday, ZACC deputy chairperson, Commissioner Kuziwa Phineas Murapa confirmed that the cases published by this publication were “now under investigation with our regional office in Bulawayo.”
In an interview with CITE, ZACC provincial head for Bulawayo, Matabeleland North and South, Simbarashe Zvidzai confirmed the commission was conducting investigations to ascertain whether the LSU matter was pursuable.
“We have cases. There is a case related to tenders and actually, we received a response from the Procurement Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (PRAZ) commenting on that. I understand there are several cases but as has been said here a report can come then it’s assessed then we look at pursuable cases,” he said.
The provincial head said he instructed ZACC investigating officers to pursue it following the comments from PRAZ.
“We needed to verify with the Ministry of Industry that there was a Statutory Instrument (SI) that was quoted there, that at this time of procuring, it wasn’t there. This is what it is obtaining and maybe the whistleblower knew that SI before procurement,” he said, explaining that these circumstances needed a thorough investigation.
“I made an instruction that let’s inquire about the relationship between this SI and the (PRAZ) comment as well as how that comment could be handled but something is being done.”
Meanwhile, the ZACC deputy chairperson said the media is designated in the National Anti- Corruption Strategy as one of the critical stakeholders in the fight against corruption for their role in disseminating information.
“The role of the media is appreciated in the National Development Strategy (NDS1) which notes that ‘an informed and knowledgeable society is a prerequisite for creating a shared national vision and collective sense of national identity,’’ Murapa said.
“It is in this spirit that the commission has taken the initiative to strengthen the relations by providing a platform for knowledge sharing so that journalism’s contribution to the fight against corruption is bolstered. Our vision is for ‘a citizenry and institutions that uphold integrity and good governance for a corruption-free Zimbabwe by 2030.”
