Managers at the National Pharmaceutical Company (NatPharm)
and Government officials were this week quizzed by the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption
Commission (Zacc) during investigations into procurement, including Covid-19
protection equipment and test kits.
ZACC chairperson Justice Loice Matanda-Moyo confirmed
yesterday that investigations were still in progress and said no one had been
charged yet.
“This week our investigators interviewed a number of
officials over alleged irregular procurement of drugs. They were asked
questions before going back to their homes. We are still investigating, and
after information gathering, we will then make a decision on whether or not
there was any criminal conduct. After that, we may have to decide on who should
be charged,” said Justice Matanda-Moyo.
This comes as Government has ordered NatPharm to cancel all
contracts for the supply and delivery of medicines and surgical sundries by
Drax Consulting SAGL.
In a letter on Friday last week to NatPharm managing
director Mrs Flora Sifeku, acting Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Health
and Child Care Dr Gibson Mhlanga ordered the cancellation on Treasury
instructions and further ordered that NatPharm must today be ready to present
evidence of the cancellation.
“You are being directed to cancel all contracts that you
had with Drax SAGL with immediate effect. Please be advised that this process
needs to be completed by latest Friday June 12, 2020 and all documentation
showing cancellation of the same to be submitted in my office by then. Please
treat this issue with the urgency that it requires,” wrote Dr Mhlanga.
Dr Mhlanga confirmed the cancellation of the contracts,
adding that he was following instructions from Treasury but declined to go into
detail.
Mrs Sifeku confirmed having received the letter, but could
not give further comment.
Represented by Mr Delish Nguwaya in Zimbabwe, Drax SAGL
entered into an agreement with Government for the supply and delivery of
medicines and consumables worth US$20 million.
The drugs started coming into the country at the beginning
of the year in batches.
Later this year, Drax SAGL was awarded an additional tender
to provide Covid-19 supplies and was subsequently given preferential treatment
for the release of its Covid-19 emergency medical supplies that were stuck at
Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport.
There were concerns the company was allegedly overpricing
its Covid-19 supplies.
After negotiations between Government and Drax SAGL
officials over one bill of nearly US$1 million, an agreement was thrashed that
the bill come down to about US$660 000.
Finance and Economic Permanent Secretary Development George
Guvamatanga told a Parliamentary portfolio committee dealing with his ministry
a few days before the cancellation order that as part of its statutory duties
his ministry checked each Government procurement order to see if Zimbabwe was
getting value for money before approving payment.
While Treasury did not raise the procurement orders nor did
it choose what was ordered or choose suppliers, it did do the final checks over
the value being given and would cancel orders that did not seem to give value
for money. Herald
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