STAFF WRITER
Zimbabwe’s President Emmerson Mnangagwa has suspended ZESA Holdings executive chairman, Sydney Gata and the power utility’s entire board members with immediate effect to pave way for thorough investigations into alleged corrupt activities.
In a statement, the chief secretary to the President and Cabinet, Misheck Sibanda said the President has also ordered the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission(ZACC) chairperson Loice Matanda-Moyo to undertake thoroughly investigations leveled against Gata and other corrupt activities against board members.
ZACC is expected to conclude the investigations within four weeks.
“His excellency, the President (Emmerson Mnangagwa) has in terms of Section 16(1) (a) read together with Section 16(1) (d) of the Public Entities Corporate Governance Act suspended the executive chairman of ZESA Holdings (Sydney Gata) and the entire ZESA board members with immediate effect,” Sibanda said.
He added: “His Excellency (President Mnangagwa) has also directed the chairperson of the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (Justice Loice Matanda-Moyo) to immediately undertake thorough investigations leveled against the executive chairman by Honourable Minister of Energy and Power Development Fortune Chasi, any other underlying corrupt activities bedevilling ZESA board members and the electricity sector as a whole.”
Last week, Chasi, suspended Gata and ordered the board to investigate him for corruption allegations.
Gata hit back, accusing Chasi of undermining efforts to curb corruption at ZESA and working in cahoots with people being investigated for corruption.
