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Zimbabwe: Scandal – Parliament Boss Admits His Staff Gave Nod to Shady US$1, 6million Laptop Supply Deal

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Clerk of Parliament, Kennedy Chokuda has opened a can of worms after admitting the supply of 173 overpriced laptops valued at US$9, 200 each was approved by responsible staffers at the institution, an admission exposing the deep-seated corruption.

Embarrassed by the shocking revelation involving Parliament, viewed as a citadel of integrity, Chokuda engaged on a futile public relations stunt to try and sanitize the scandalous deal and absolve his surbodinates.

In a statement Saturday, Chokuda conceded the two companies went through tendering processes and were cleared by Parliament’s Evaluation as well as Special Oversight Procurement Committees.

But, the Parliament boss did not say what punitive action was being taken against the alleged corrupt officials who allowed the deals to pass.

“It is during these processes that two companies were cleared as meeting the set criteria including the lowest price submissions payable in local currency,” Chokuda said.

He added, “However, while all the procurement processes had been adhered to and cognizant of the need to exercise prudence and probity in all procurement processes, our due diligence processes indicated that the prices quoted were highly inflated.

“It is at this particular point that on Friday 9th August 2022, I, as the Accounting Officer, directed the Parliament’s Director Procurement Unit, in the presence of Director Audit, to initiate cancellation of the tender and to proceed with the retendering as the quoted prices were not justified.