Zinara managers to face the music

By John Kachembere

Zimbabwe National Roads Administration (Zinara) managers, who are accused of siphoning close to $119 million from the parastatal, will have their day of reckoning in the next few days, sources say.

This was after a recent report compiled by a five-member independent committee revealed that Zinara lost over $119 million to former acting finance director Precious Murove and former acting chief executive Moses Juma through shoddy deals and unprocedural tenders.

The special commission was appointed last October by Transport minister Joram Gumbo to investigate all projects that were undertaken by Zinara in the five-year period between 2011-2016, including the $206 million rehabilitation of the Plumtree-Mutare highway, after a forensic audit revealed financial rot at the parastatal.

People familiar with Zinara operations told The Financial Gazette that Gumbo, who had submitted the report to President Emmerson Mnangagwa, was told to implement its recommendations.

“The minister in a bid to clear himself of the mess and corruption recently summoned the Zinara board and told the acting chairperson, Wilfred Ramwi to deal decisively against the implicated employees,” said the source.

A board member who refused to be identified for fear of victimisation told this publication that the board met recently and resolved that the matter be attended to this month and “decide on the fate of the two executives who have defrauded and fleeced the road fund of millions of dollars through unsanctioned allowances and benefits as well as dubious tender deals”.

Gumbo yesterday confirmed to this publication that government will soon act on the forensic audit. — The Financial Gazette