PRETORIA: The company linked to Collins Mnangagwa was awarded contracts worth USD 60 million to supply protective equipment for the fight against Covid-19 a letter from the Zimbabwe finance ministry has revealed. The Zimbabwe government has come under fire by the citizens over the authorisation of the purchase of personal protective equipment at inflated prices. Most notably, the price of a mask was pegged at USD 28. The company contracted to supply is Drax International LLC, and is reportedly associated with Collins Mnanagwa, the President of Zimbabwe Emmerson Mnangagwa’s son. It has turned out the company Drax Consult was awarded a contract worth USD 60 million without going to tender. The scandal has come to be known as the Covidgate.
Various media in the country have liked the company to the President’s son, which has forced a response from the company denying links with the first family.
A separate communique by the permanent secretary in the Ministry of Finance George Guvamatanga has contradicted earlier claims by Zimbabwe government spokesperson Nick Mangwana. Mangwana claimed the government made a decision not to deal with Drax International after realising their prices were inflated. The position has been contradicted by Guvamatanga who admitted the government ordered the purchase of protective equipment from the Drax Consult.
Guvamatanga went on to state that the government cancelled the USD40 million contracts with Drax Consult and suspended a further USD 20 million contract from the same company. Part of the letter to the permanent secretary in the Ministry of Health read, “As you are aware, a meeting was held between the Ministers of Finance and Economic Development, and that of Health and Child Care in which a representative of Drax Consult was invited to participate to discuss the contract on the supply of COVID-19 requirements, as well as the suspension of the USD20 million contract and the cancellation of the USD40 million contract with the same company.”
Zimbabweans are however not convinced by the letter as it contradicts the letter written by Guvamatanga authorising the purchase of the equipment as the inflated prices on 8 March 2020. The letter did not mention any required price adjustments before a payment can be made.
Collins Mnangagwa has since distanced himself from Drax International
Trending headlines
Read More: Truck driver attacked by an elephant whilst relieving himself in the bush
Read More: MDC Alliance declared a legit political party by High Court