Former Finance Minister Tendai Biti has launched a scathing attack on the recently completed Trabablas Interchange, branding it a “major crime scene” and accusing government-linked cartels of grand-scale corruption and looting of public funds.
According to the government, the project was completed at a reported cost of US$88 million, a figure Biti argues is grossly inflated and far above regional standards. Said Biti:
The Interchange is a shoddy vulgar sobriquet of raw looting and grandiose theft of public funds. The US$88m is way out of line with comparative regional projects that have cost significantly less. For instance, SA’s Mount Edgecombe project, the biggest in Africa which cost US$70m.
Biti claims the project was never subjected to an open international tender, but was instead handed to a local cartel closely aligned with the ruling elite.
He accuses the group of dominating lucrative public contracts across various sectors since 2017, including agriculture, mining, fuel, banking, health care, and infrastructure.
According to Biti, there are unresolved questions surrounding the financing structure of the project.
While the government claims the interchange was self-funded, primarily through US$65 million from project advisor DNMZ and another US$26 million from the construction consortium, Biti alleges Treasury support and use of Zimbabwe’s Special Drawing Rights (SDRs) played a role. He said:
These questions arise because of the predatory veil of opaqueness that has been the MO of regime. Parliament must cause a forensic audit of this project & examining legal financial & engineering constructs of this pagoda.
Biti’s comments adds to growing public scrutiny over government spending, amid ongoing economic challenges and allegations of elite enrichment.
Zvimwe tendaiwo kuti zvaitwa,zvarerutsirawo kufamba kwe vanhu nezvinhu munyika. Ingawani nyangwe kumamisha kwatinobva chaiko iko,kukanzi kwaita function,kwaurayiwa mombe chaiyo iyo,haushaye kunzwa kuti mutsipa hausi kuzivikanwa kwawaenda,hee chino nechino,asi tinenge tiripahukama,tichienda tese,ehe zviriko futi,asi basa rinenge richibatwa haro,richiendeka haro….