Zimbabwe Health Minister Charged Over Coronavirus Corruption

By Eleisha Kennedy • Published: 09 Jul 2020 • 18:41

Zimbabwe Health Minister Obadiah Moyo was fired by president Mnangagwa after being charged with corruption. CREDIT: Twitter

Obadiah Moyo, the Health Minister of Zimbabwe, has been charged with corruption after allegedly awarding a contract of 60 million dollars for Covid-19 medical supplies.

THE president, Emmerson Mnangagwa, fired the minister this week for inappropriate conduct by a public official. This comes after Moyo awarded a $60 million contract to a company allegedly selling Covid supplies to the government with inflated prices.

Drax International LLC, with headquarters in the United Arab Emirates, received the tender without consent from the Zimbabwe Procurement Regulatory Authority. Delish Nguwaya, one of the company’s representatives, was also arrested and faces charges, though Drax denies any involvement.

President Mnangagwa has been called to act on the country’s rampant corruption problems, in particular within the public sector. Problems which cost Zimbabwe an estimated $2 billion every year, according to Transparency International.