Zimbabwe’s power utility, the Zimbabwe Electricity Supply Authority (ZESA) was on Monday given a 5-day ultimatum to investigate corruption allegations levelled against its board chairperson Dr Sydney Gata.
Gata is accused of a number of issues including criminal abuse of office and conversion of the parastatal’s vehicles into personal use.
In a letter to the power utility, also copied to was copied to Deputy Minister Magna Mudyiwa, Chief Secretary to the President and Cabinet Dr Misheck Sibanda, Secretary for Energy and Power Development Dr Gloria Magombo and Gata himself, Energy Minister advocate Fortune Chasi said:
You are therefore instructed to give this matter all the urgency it deserves to ensure that it is resolved within the shortest time possible to allow the board to concentrate on its key mandate, that is ensuring availability of power.
In all the deliberations and investigations, the board should ensure that the executive chairperson is accorded all his legal rights. I expect feedback of the board’s initial action within five days of this correspondence and every similar period, thereafter.
Meanwhile the board yesterday suspended Gata to pave way for investigations. Gata was rehired last year after he had been dismissed over alleged corruption.
More: The Herald