Mike Chimombe Embroiled In Harare Streetlight Procurement Scandal
A company linked to Mike Chimombe has been implicated in a tender scandal related to the procurement of 500 streetlights for the city of Harare.
As reported by The Herald, Chimombe allegedly used a fake company and falsified documents to secure the tender to install 500 streetlights in the capital to supplement the 1 202 installed through Rwanda Energy Group and ZESA.
Chimombe’s firm was reportedly declared unsuccessful during a council debriefing, but surprisingly, it was awarded the tender.
Donax Enterprises Private Limited filed an application to challenge the procurement proceedings conducted by the City of Harare, claiming it was not notified of its disqualification or disbarment until the council approved the procurement.
The Harare City Council allegedly knew that Chimombe’s company had falsified documents and misinterpreted information, yet still awarded the tender to the company.
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It is further alleged that Chimombe frequently visited council officials and exerted influence over them to act in his favour.
In an interview with The Herald, Harare Mayor Jacob Mafume said that while Chimombe’s firm was awarded the tender some time ago, it had yet to fulfil the contract and deliver the streetlights. Said Mafume:
It is shocking that these guys were given the tender a long time ago, but nothing concrete has been seen after being given full payment.
These people must be blacklisted so that in future they must not be awarded such crucial tenders.
Necessary action will be taken against these people, for now the case is being handled by our auditors and all law enforcement authorities will help in the investigations of matters of this magnitude.
Chimombe and his business partner, Moses Mpofu, appeared before Harare Regional Magistrate Marehwanazvo Gofa on Wednesday, June 26, facing fraud charges.
The duo allegedly forged a ZIMRA Tax clearance certificate and an NSSA compliance certificate in the name of Blackdeck Private Limited and attached them in a bidding document which they submitted to the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Water, Fisheries and Rural Development for a tender for the supply and delivery of goats for the Presidential Goat Pass-on Scheme.
The Ministry transferred ZWL$901 294 200 and ZWL$698 705 800 on 21 April 2022 and 28 June 2022 respectively into their bank account.
The total amount was ZWL$1.6 billion and was equivalent to US$7 712 197.
Chimombe and Mpofu allegedly lied to the Ministry that they had mobilised 32 500 goats across the provinces, when in fact, they only had 3,713 goats in their holding sites.
Chimombe and Mpofu’s woes started when they accused ZANU PF sympathiser Wicknell Chivayo of fraudulently changing their contract with South African company Ren-Form and Better Brands to supply voting material to ZEC in the run-up to the 2023 general elections.
They are also suspected to have leaked Chivayo’s voice notes in which he claimed to have captured President Emmerson Mnangagwa.
Self-exiled former cabinet minister, Walter Mzembi, recently said Chivayo will not be prosecuted or ostracized by the “system” but his erstwhile colleagues (Chimombe and Mpofu) who turned against him were in trouble.
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