Zim electoral body probed over fraud

By Farayi Machamire

The Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (Zacc) is making moves to probe the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (Zec) over widespread allegations of fraud, corruption and flouting of tender processes for election material dating back to the 2013 harmonised poll.

The probe threatens to suck in senior officials and ultimately former Zec chairperson Rita Makarau, who was at the helm of the electoral body before she abruptly resigned last month.

This comes as former ministers and senior State enterprises officials — who served in deposed ex-president Robert Mugabe’s government — have been arrested and brought before the courts, in an anti-graft crackdown that could net more suspected officials.

Zacc commissioner Goodson Nguni confirmed that the anti-graft body was zooming in on Zec following a tip-off.

“We will start on it soon,” Nguni said of the probe, adding that Zacc “received a letter” from an anonymous person alerting them of the corruption concerns at the electoral body.

Among the items under investigation is the purchase of tents, computers and stationery for election-related purposes back dating to the 2013 general elections.

Zacc has also been furnished with documentation regarding senior Zec officials who allegedly flouted tender processes in exchange for kickbacks and bribes.

It has not yet been established how much government was prejudiced, but insiders believe the State may have lost huge sums.

Reached for comment yesterday, Zec acting chairperson Emmanuel Magade could neither confirm nor deny the development.

“I will not stand in the way of justice if anyone is being implicated for any wrongdoing,” he told the Daily News.

This comes as Zacc is finalising investigations on several corruption matters.  DailyNews