The Zimbabwe Parliament committee is preparing legal summons after Finance Secretary George Guvamatanga failed to appear for the second time to answer questions about the questionable $400 million in direct payments to select companies.
Public Accounts Committee chairperson Charlton Hwende (Kuwadzana MP) announced that the committee has scheduled a final hearing for Friday, warning that failure to attend will trigger immediate legal action.
“We’re working with Parliament’s Clerk to prepare summons documents that will be served the same day if they don’t comply,” Hwende stated.
The committee also plans to question Finance Minister Mthuli Ncube about financial oversight mechanisms during the scheduled session.
The hearing was meant to review the 2023 Auditor General’s report, which revealed that the Treasury allegedly bypassed standard procedures by directly paying suppliers rather than channeling funds through the relevant ministries. Among the beneficiaries was South Africa’s Ren-Form CC, which received controversial contracts to supply Zimbabwe Electoral Commission materials without competitive bidding.
South African financial records indicate that Ren-Form received over R1.2 billion from Zimbabwe’s Treasury, with approximately R800 million reportedly transferred to accounts linked to businessman Wicknell Chivayo – a figure previously accused of using political connections to secure government contracts.
Lawmakers have demanded documentation for payments made to several other companies, including:
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Fertiliser Seed Grain (FSG)
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Ziminya Dam Construction
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Ventures Borehole & Exploration
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Makomo Engineering
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Semwa Dam Project
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Nyika Kanengoni & Partners (ZEC’s legal representatives)
Committee members argue that the centralized payment system violates the Public Finance Management Act, which mandates that ministries process supplier payments according to their budgetary allocations. The current arrangement gives the Finance Ministry unilateral payment authority, raising concerns about transparency and potential favoritism in government expenditure.
The standoff highlights growing tensions between Zimbabwe’s legislative and executive branches over financial accountability as the country seeks to improve governance standards.