Flamboyant businessman Wicknell Chivayo, is in hot soup after been asked to furnish the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Mines and Energy with documents on the use of the $7 million he received from the Zimbabwe Power Company for the Gwanda solar project without the requisite bank guarantees.
He was given up to Friday to deliver the documents.
Chivhayo’s lawyer ,Bruce Tokwe, however, said the businessman was refusing to release the bank statements and other documents despite him ceasing to be a shareholder of Intratek, the company that was awarded the tender.
“There is need to restructure the board and management of Intratek Zimbabwe Private Limited to make sure there is progress on these projects of national importance.
“We have tried to engage Mr Chivayo here to get some documents, in fact, we have asked the same questions that you are asking in this august house as to what could have happened to the monies etc and even the shareholders themselves are none the wiser,” he said.
Committee chairman Mr Temba Mliswa asked Chivayo to explain why there was a disparity on the amount he received from the $7 million that was mentioned by ZPC Board chairman Mr Stanley Kazhanje
“Just tell us how much you got and where the money went to. We had ZPC here and they said they gave you $7 million. Just tell us how much you got and we break it down,” Mliswa said.
The Gwanda Solar Project tender awarded in 2016 ,has not taken off despite Chivhayo being given down payment to kick start the project.
It is in that light that Mliswa requested Chivhayo to bring bank statements which would prove how the down payment has been used to this date.
In his part, Chivhayo admitted that he had been paid by the company without the bank guarantee and had sought assistance from former Minister of Energy and Power Development Dr Samuel Undenge after suspended ZPC managing director Noah Gwariro had refused to pay him the money without the guarantee.
