Harare – Former Finance Minister Tendai Biti, threatened to terminate the contracts granted to a local firm Univern by Zinara over unclear tendering procedures for projects amounting to over US$30 million.
Biti the chairperson of the Parliamentary Public Accounts Committee said this on Friday whilst probing the management of Univern after a damning audit report which raised red-flags regarding projects that are bleeding the parastatal dry.
According to the 2017 audit report by the Auditor General Mildred Chiri, Zinara paid large sums of money to Univern.
Univern, a software provider, is getting 22 percent of Zinara's gross income under a deal the two companies signed without going to tender and the contract runs for 10 years.
“"This is an extortionate contract. This contract is a vulture contract, this contract is state capture, this contract is corruption. You are the Gupta’s of Zimbabwe and you are raping the country,” Biti said to the Univern management.
Besides the vehicle licensing software, Univern also supplied Zinara with software and hardware for 22 tollgates in 2012 and the company is paid 18.5 percent of gross amount collected at the tollgates.
Interestingly,Univern also has contracts to collect "road access fee" where it gets 16 percent of collections, "radio license fees" contract where firm gets 14 percent percent on collections and 16 percent of transit fee. Univern is also the same company that supplies number plates.
The Company is also alleged to have been paid US$3 million for supply of stationery to Zinara over four years.
"You get a vehicle licensing contract with no tender, you get a tollgate contract with no tender, who do you know? You are getting more money than Zinara from these contracts, who exactly is Univern, “asked Biti.
However, the company’s delegation led by one Serge Levy neither denied nor confirmed the allegations asking the committee to give them more time so that they prepare and furnish PAC with necessary documents which will help them explain themselves on how they were awarded such lucrative contracts without going to tender.
Univern will give oral evidence to Parliament again next Friday.
In a letter dated August 30 2016, written by the deputy chief secretary to the OPC, Ray Ndhlukula, addressed to the SPB acting principal officer Samson Mutanhaurwa, the OPC requested for a blanket approval of Univern’s contract without going to tender.
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