A dispute has erupted between a company contracted by the government to do renovations for the Harare e-passport centre, and its workers as well as subcontracted companies over unpaid wages and fees for the project.
Subcontracted companies and workers are allegedly owed varying amounts of money by the company, Kingdom Five Zimbabwe, amid claims that its management diverted the funds and bought luxurious vehicles.
Some of the workers interviewed by The Standard said they were owed as much as US$5 000.
Kingdom Five Zimbabwe won a tender for the renovation of e-passport centres and carried out renovations at the Murewa E-passport centre, and Gweru e-passport centre where they are allegedly owing workers money.
They are currently in Beitbridge setting up another e-passport centre. One of the aggrieved workers told The Independent:
They are buying expensive cars while they owe us. It’s not right. One of the managers has a BMW parked at the quantity surveyor’s house because he has run out of parking space at his house.
He said he reported the company to the Labour Court, and the case will be heard on August 11.
One of the managers for Kingdom Five Zimbabwe Eddie Madzima confirmed that the workers and other sub-contracted companies have not been paid. Madzima said:
We have a contract and the project is still ongoing.
There are a few individuals who have not been paid and we are still questioning the nature of their contracts.
President Emmerson Mnangagwa launched the country’s e-passport in December.
Old non-biometric Zimbabwean passports will remain valid until they expire in December 2023.