Zimbabwe’s President Emmerson Mnangagwa on Tuesday 7th sacked his health minister after being charged with corruption over illegally awarding a $20 million contract for coronavirus testing.
Health Minister Obadiah Moyo was accused of awarding a $20 million contract to Drax Consult SAGL, a Dubai-based company created just months ago, to supply personal protective equipment and COVID-19 test kits.
According to local media reports, Zimbabwe’s government canceled all contracts with this Dubai-based company after the country’s opposition condemning the deal.
Zimbabwe’s Presidential chief secretary Misheck Sibanda said Tuesday that President Emmerson Mnangagwa removed Moyo from office for “conduct inappropriate for a government minister”.
Obadiah Moyo’s removal from office comes after his arrest last month following an investigation by the southern African country’s anti-graft commission.
Moyo was released on bail and is scheduled to appear in court on July 31. Moyo also faces charges in two other cases, which date back to last year for the supply of general medical equipment to public hospitals.
Zimbabwe has 787 confirmed coronaviruses (COVID-19) cases and nine deaths.
The Zimbabwean government declared the COVID-19 crisis a “national disaster” on Friday, March 27, a move allowing it to commandeer State resources towards fighting COVID-19, to use emergency regulations, and to deploy personnel for the same services.
By Nsunjo Erica