Minister In Hot ZESA Scandal
Published: 2016 May 12 05:44:47 (4646 Views)
Investigations into shady dealings within Zesa holdings have revealed a link with Energy and Power Development Minister Samuel Undenge who is being accused of flouting tender regulations in a deal that is bleeding the power utility of tens of thousands of dollars monthly.
Udenge allegedly directed Zesa Holdings subsidiaries to hand-pick a private firm to do public relations consultancy.
Zesa Holdings and its subsidiaries have fully-fledged public relations departments, which are drawing full salaries and benefits.
This comes as the financially hamstrung power utility is proposing to hike energy charges by an average 14 percent from 9.87 cents to 11.2 cents per kilowatt hour, further burdening industry and residents.
The hired firm, Fruitful Communications, was engaged in January and is doing “a media campaign” for the power utility’s subsidiaries until 2018.
This leaves the internal PR departments redundant.
The company whose profile only has Highfield West legislator Psychology Maziwisa (principal director) and former ZBC news anchor Oscar Pambuka (media strategy executive) has duties that include organising conferences and Press briefings.
Undenge gave the directive to the Zesa management in a letter he wrote in January this year.
Reads the letter in part: “They (Fruitful Communications) have done publicity work for the Ministry of Energy and Power Development by putting me, as the principal voice at the forefront of explaining our vision as well as the different interventions that are currently being undertaken by the ministry.
“I have found them to be incredibly useful in this regard and hereby direct that you work as closely as possible with them at intervals of six months per engagement until 2018.”
Another correspondence written by Zimbabwe Power Company managing director, Mr Noah Gwariro on December 14, 2015 to Zesa chief executive Engineer Josh Chifamba, also confirms that the directive to engage Fruitful Communications had come from Dr Undenge.
Despite the letters, Dr Undenge yesterday said he had not directed anyone and claimed Fruitful Communications was doing the services for free.
When told that a local publication was in possession of documents showing some of the transfers made into the Fruitfull Communications Stanbic account number 0240598176501, Dr Undenge said: “Well, pamwe vanenge vafunga panoda kuti paitwe something I dont have that detail. Maybe they think that if they utilise them then things will move accordingly. It will now be a prerogative of the organisation nothing to do with the Minister.”
Maziwisa yesterday confirmed the marriage between his company and Zesa.
Pressed further to clarify since public funds were involved,Maziwisa said: “Ndivanani ivavo? Izvo munotobvunza vakapa basa kwete vakapiwa basa.”
Fruitful Communications is also reportedly offering similar consultancy to other parastatals under contracts yet to be gleaned.
Sources yesterday said Dr Undenge’s directive was against the cost cutting measures Zesa was implementing.
- Herald
Udenge allegedly directed Zesa Holdings subsidiaries to hand-pick a private firm to do public relations consultancy.
Zesa Holdings and its subsidiaries have fully-fledged public relations departments, which are drawing full salaries and benefits.
This comes as the financially hamstrung power utility is proposing to hike energy charges by an average 14 percent from 9.87 cents to 11.2 cents per kilowatt hour, further burdening industry and residents.
The hired firm, Fruitful Communications, was engaged in January and is doing “a media campaign” for the power utility’s subsidiaries until 2018.
This leaves the internal PR departments redundant.
The company whose profile only has Highfield West legislator Psychology Maziwisa (principal director) and former ZBC news anchor Oscar Pambuka (media strategy executive) has duties that include organising conferences and Press briefings.
Undenge gave the directive to the Zesa management in a letter he wrote in January this year.
Reads the letter in part: “They (Fruitful Communications) have done publicity work for the Ministry of Energy and Power Development by putting me, as the principal voice at the forefront of explaining our vision as well as the different interventions that are currently being undertaken by the ministry.
“I have found them to be incredibly useful in this regard and hereby direct that you work as closely as possible with them at intervals of six months per engagement until 2018.”
Another correspondence written by Zimbabwe Power Company managing director, Mr Noah Gwariro on December 14, 2015 to Zesa chief executive Engineer Josh Chifamba, also confirms that the directive to engage Fruitful Communications had come from Dr Undenge.
Despite the letters, Dr Undenge yesterday said he had not directed anyone and claimed Fruitful Communications was doing the services for free.
When told that a local publication was in possession of documents showing some of the transfers made into the Fruitfull Communications Stanbic account number 0240598176501, Dr Undenge said: “Well, pamwe vanenge vafunga panoda kuti paitwe something I dont have that detail. Maybe they think that if they utilise them then things will move accordingly. It will now be a prerogative of the organisation nothing to do with the Minister.”
Maziwisa yesterday confirmed the marriage between his company and Zesa.
Pressed further to clarify since public funds were involved,Maziwisa said: “Ndivanani ivavo? Izvo munotobvunza vakapa basa kwete vakapiwa basa.”
Fruitful Communications is also reportedly offering similar consultancy to other parastatals under contracts yet to be gleaned.
Sources yesterday said Dr Undenge’s directive was against the cost cutting measures Zesa was implementing.
- Herald
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