CONTROVERSIAL businessmen Mike Chimombe and Moses Mpofu allegedly infiltrated Harare City Council (HCC) and hijacked a tender to supply streetlights.
This was revealed at a special full council meeting held at Town House yesterday.
Harare mayor Jacob Mafume said there was need to blacklist some of the corrupt individuals and companies that had infiltrated council.
“We have these goat persons [Chimombe and Mpofu], maybe they had paid someone. I am told they wanted to buy and supply streetlights for Harare City Council,” he said.
“We should do a blacklist of people who we should not deal with and firms and by the time they step here, there should be a siren to indicate that they are here.”
In an interview after the meeting, Mafume confirmed that the pair had hijacked the deal.
“Yes, they hijacked the deal to supply the streetlights for the city and it is so sad they elbowed others out, using what I do not know,” he said.
Mafume said some years ago, the pair had attempted to supply biogas to the local authority.
Both Chimombe and Mpofu have been seen in Town House corridors on several occasions.
The controversial businesspersons are in the eye of a storm for allegedly abusing funds for the US$88 million presidential goat scheme.
A Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (Zacc) internal report revealed that the pair spent the millions on bling lifestyles, buying top-of-the-range vehicles and other luxuries.
Chimombe and Mpofu were not readily available for comment yesterday.
Earlier in the day, they had appeared at the Zacc offices in the company of their lawyers from Antonio and Dzvetero Legal Practitioners over the goat scheme funds.
A leaked internal Zacc communication read: “Investigations that ensued established that on November 16, 2021, the government of Zimbabwe represented by the Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development ministry entered into a contract agreement with Blackdeck Livestock and Poultry Farming represented by Moses Mpofu valued at US$87 757 168 for the supply and delivery of 632 000 goats over a period of five years.”
It is said Mpofu and Chimombe were given an advance payment of US$40 million by Treasury for them to supply goats meant to support underprivileged households across the country under the President’s initiative.
After receiving the funds, they did not deliver the goats as agreed, but converted the money to personal use and purchased luxurious houses and vehicles.
Investigations are underway.