The Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development, George Guvamatanga has come under fire for authorising the procurement of face masks at a ridiculously high price.
Among those who want answers is Zimbabwean journalist, Brezh Malaba who questioned how the government could have bought face masks for “US$28 each and go on to pay US$987 000 for personal protective equipment at such scandalously inflated prices?”
He suggested that state resources were being looted in the name of fighting the coronavirus pandemic.
In response to the allegations, Guvamatanga said that he only authorised payment for Covid-19 test kits in the letter he wrote to the Health Permanent Secretary. He said:
The letter was only authorizing the release of test kits that were in urgent need. The same letter clearly states that previous correspondence that cancelled the purchase of PPE’s remained in force.
We have attached the letter in question below
Meanwhile, the contracted company, Drax International LLC is reportedly linked to President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s son, Collins Mnangagwa.
