MPs urged to probe controversial elections tender

Flamboyant Zimbabwean businessman Wicknell Chivayo is facing possible investigation by Parliament after a formal petition was submitted by an activist linked to the election tender scandal, reports iharare. The activist, Emmanuel Moyo, has called on the legislature to invoke its oversight powers to probe alleged money laundering involving Chivayo in the controversial $100m Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) tender. In his petition addressed to Speaker of Parliament Jacob Mudenda, Moyo urged MPs to examine the dealings of Chivayo’s companies, citing concerns over illicit financial activity linked to public funds. Central to Moyo’s petition is a report by SA’s Financial Intelligence Centre (FIC), which raised red flags over potential criminal conduct in the tender deal. The report could not rule out money laundering or other illegal financial activities. According to FIC, Chivayo received $40m from a total of $66m paid to Ren-Form CC, a SA company contracted to supply voting materials for Zimbabwe’s August 2023 general elections. The report revealed that Chivayo used multiple personal and company accounts to move the funds around rapidly through transfers and cash withdrawals, raising further suspicion. The money moved through major SA banks, including FNB, Standard Bank and Absa. Some of the funds were reportedly spent on luxury items, including designer clothes, high-end vehicles, electronics, real estate, and international travel. Moyo said Parliament must investigate how taxpayer money was used and ensure transparency and accountability in government spending.