Thursday, 28 March, 2024
HomeAfricaZimbabwe Health Minister fired over US$42m tender scandal

Zimbabwe Health Minister fired over US$42m tender scandal

Zimbabwe's President Emmerson Mnangagwa has sacked Health Minister Obadiah Moyo for “conduct inappropriate for a government minister”. The dismissal was confirmed by presidential spokesperson Misheck Sibanda who said Moyo had been dismissed “with immediate effect”.

A report on the CGTN site notes that he is accused of illegally awarding a US$42m tender to Drax International for the supply of COVID-19 drugs and personal protective equipment fully aware that it is not a pharmaceutical company but rather a consultancy.

The report says Delish Nguwaya, a local representative of Drax International, has been detained. It was reported earlier this year that former Tourism Minister Prisca Mupfumira was also arrested in an unrelated graft case earlier this year.

 

In other developments in Zimbabwe, 11 nurses arrested during a protest for higher pay were released on bail by a Harare court. They were arrested during a demonstration for higher wages at the Harare Central Hospital.

A report on the News24 site notes that Kumbirai Mafunda, spokesman for Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights, said they were charged with “breaching regulations to curb the COVID-19 virus by partaking in or convening an unauthorised gathering”.

The Zimbabwe Nurses' Association, which represents around 15,000 state nurses, called on their members to stage a strike against low wages at a time of galloping inflation.

[link url="https://africa.cgtn.com/2020/07/07/mnangagwa-sacks-health-minister-obadiah-moyo-following-corruption-claims/"]Full report on the CGTN site[/link]

 

[link url="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Obadiah_Moyo"]Obadiah Moyo profile[/link]

 

[link url="https://www.news24.com/news24/africa/news/zimbabwean-police-arrests-nurses-striking-over-low-pay-says-union-20200706"]Full report on the News24 site[/link]

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