Dr Obadiah Moyo, Zimbabwe’s Minister of Health and Childcare, has been fired following his involvement in a US$60-million deal for the procurement of Covid-19 medical supplies by Drax International, a company allegedly linked to the first family.
A statement issued on 7 July by the Chief Secretary to the president and cabinet, Dr Misheck Sibanda, reads:
“Please be advised that his excellency President E.D. Mnangagwa has removed Dr Obediah Moyo [sic] from the office of Cabinet Minister with immediate effect… for conduct inappropriate for a government Minister.”
Dr Moyo is currently out on bail of Zim$50,000 (US$2000). Dr Moyo is expected to appear in court on 31 July 2020. After he was arrested on Friday 19 June over allegations of attempting to embezzle government funds by awarding a contract for Covid-19 testing kits, drugs and personal protective equipment (PPE) worth over US$60-million to Drax International LLC, Drax Consulting, and Papi Pharma.
According to prosecutors in court on 20 June, Moyo was charged with criminal abuse of office. He is alleged to have instructed his ministry’s permanent secretary, retired Major-General Gerald Gwinji, to process paperwork and award the tender to Papi Pharma under a direct purchase.
Prosecutors further alleged that Moyo used his position and influence by verbally directing the ministry’s permanent secretary Major-General Gwinji to engage Papi Pharma before a report on due diligence had been received from the Treasury.
Moyo’s alleged accomplice and Drax country representative, Dilesh Nguwaya, is out on Zim$50,000 bail on charges related to the Covid-19 procurement scandal. His bail conditions required him to surrender all his travel documents with the clerk of the court at Harare Magistrates Court, and reside at his house in Sandton, west of Harare city centre, until his trial is finalised, and not interfere with the state witness.
Nguwaya is alleged to be friends with President Mnangagwa’s twin sons, Shaun and Collins, and has been seen with them at private and State House functions.
Nguwaya made fraudulent misrepresentations to government officials by claiming that Drax was a manufacturer of drugs and medical equipment. Without following tender procedures due to the facilitation by Dr Moyo, Nguwaya then overpriced the government procurement. He was initially remanded into custody by a magistrate’s court but later appealed to the High Court which then released him on bail.
On releasing Nguwaya, High Court judge, Justice Pisirayi Kwenda, said in his ruling: “The fact that the medicines were overpriced should have been picked by state officials during due diligence or a competitive bidding process.”
