ZESA Employees To Be Fired Over Wicknell Chivayo Deals

Speaking at a Parliamentary Portfolio Committee of Mines and Energy hearing yesterday, Energy and Power Development Minister Simon Khaya Moyo said that employees from ZESA Holdings’ subsidiary Zimbabwe Power Company (ZPC) will be fired over irregular payments made to Harare businessman Wicknell Chivayo for the 100 megawatt Gwanda solar project.

Khaya Moyo said whoever is responsible will be fired after the forensic audit is completed. Said Khaya Moyo:

In any case, I do not think that the ZPC board can investigate itself. But Government, in any case, will act after the audit is completed. We were told of $5 million and I do not know about the $7 million. What we heard was that it was a directive from the Minister (Dr Samuel Undenge), but now ZPC is not clear on what happened and I am quite surprised. I am totally in agreement with what you are doing as a committee, grill them, but after the forensic audit, whoever is responsible heads will roll. We can even dissolve the board; I do not think it is quite fair to take action when there are these investigations. The Auditor-General will look into all these issues, including the faulty pre-paid meters that we were reading about in the newspapers.

ZPC has since suspended managing director Eng Noah Gwariro over the Gwanda solar deal to pave way for an audit.

More: Herald