Corruption: Namibian Government Denies Donating COVID-19 Kits To Zimbabwe

The government of Namibia has denied ever donating rapid COVID-19 test kits to the government of Zimbabwe. The statement by the country’s embassy in Zimbabwe comes after a claim made by the Zimbabwe Minister of Information Publicity and Broadcasting Monica Mutsvangwa, that Namibia had donated 4499 test kits.

Here’s the full statement released by the Namibian government today:

MINISTRY OF INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS AND COOPERATION
REPUBLIC OF NAMIBIA

MEDIA RELEASE
26 June 2020

SUBJECT: REPORTS IN THE NAMIBIAN AND ZIMBABWEAN MEDIA THAT THE GOVERNMENT OF NAMIBIA DONATED RAPID CORONA VIRUS TEST KITS TO THE GOVERNMENT OF ZIMBABWE

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The Ministry of International Relations and Cooperation has been following, with concern, persistent media reports attributing to the Government of the Republic of Namibia, a purported donation of 4499 rapid COVID-19 testing kits, to the Government of the Republic of Zimbabwe.

Following these tendentious media reports, the Ministry of International Relations and Cooperation, through the Namibian Embassy in Zimbabwe, sought clarity on the matter from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Trade of the Republic of Zimbabwe.

In a formal response, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Trade of the Republic of Zimbabwe informed that the allegations of the alleged donation of 4499 testing kits from Namibia to Zimbabwe were unfounded and erroneous, and apologized for any inconveniences the reports might have caused.

The Ministry would like to reiterate the assurances to the Namibian public that there was no such donation made by the Government of the Republic of Namibia to the Government of the Republic of Zimbabwe.

/END
Issued by: Amb. Selma Ashipala-Musavyi
Executive Director

Below is the video of Minister Monica Mutsvangwa in a post-cabinet briefing, claiming the government had received the said donation from Namibia.

The test kits in question have been the subject of controversy after it emerged that a company called Jaji Investments had supplied them to the government. It also later emerged that Jaji Investments, which claimed to have offices in Namibia didn’t have any presence in the country.

It was also later established that Valdano Brown, President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s trusted bodyguard, has an ownership interest in the company. This corruption case is unravelling at a time when another major corruption case, Draxgate, has also been exposed.

More: Alex Magaisa on Twitter