Harare Town Clerk arrested over US$9,2 million street lights tender illegally awarded to Moses Mpofu

By Mary Taruvinga

Harare Town Clerk Hosiah Chisango has been arrested on allegations of illegally awarding a US$9,2 million street lights tender to businessman Moses Mpofu who is currently locked up over another botched Presidential Goat Scheme.

The Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission confirmed his arrest adding that the city boss will be appearing in court on Thursday.

His suspected accomplices also city officials were arrested two weeks ago.

“Allegations are that Chisango acted in connivance with four other officials who are already in custody and awarded a street lights tender worth over US$9,2 million to Juluka Enndo Joint Venture, a company owned by businessman Moses Mpofu without following the due process,” said ZACC in a statement.

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Accomplices already on remand are Never Murerwa (62), Jabulani Mukomazi (44), Denford Zhungu (69) and Tawanda Mutenhabundo (29).

Murerwa and Mukomazi are employed by the City of Harare in the Procurement Management Unit as Manager Supply Chain and Principal Buyer respectively.

Zhungu and Mutenhabundo are also employed by the City of Harare as Principal Accountant and Engineering Technician respectively, but during the material time, they were members of the tender evaluation committee which adjudicated on tender number COH/DOW/S.5/2024 for the refurbishment of streetlights on various roads within Harare.

It is alleged that in January 2024, the City of Harare embarked on a rehabilitation of street lighting along Harare roads in preparation for the 44th Southern African Development Committee Summit (SADC) which will be held in August 2024 in Harare, Zimbabwe.

The group used this opportunity to push a deal for Mpofu despite that his company did not meet the needed requirements.

Eleven companies which include Donax Enterprises (Pvt) Ltd, Ship Tracks (Pvt) Ltd, Furbank Trading (Pvt) Ltd, Radiation Incorporation (Pvt) Ltd, Slowgrad Engineering (Pvt) Ltd, Syvern Investments (Pvt) Ltd, Onel Electrical Engineers (Pvt) Ltd, Boltgas International (Pvt) Ltd, Stoyna Computers (Pvt) Ltd, Juluka Ennd Joint Venture (Pvt) Ltd and Exodus & Company (Pvt) Ltd had responded to the tender.