Officials from the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) urged journalists to refrain from probing them about the contentious $40 million tender awarded to businessman Wicknel Chivhayo for electoral material procurement.
The plea comes amidst mounting pressure over the dealings linked to the disputed August 2023 elections.
The ZEC is facing severe backlash over the tender, which has been criticized for its association with Chivhayo, a businessman known for his connections to the ruling Zanu PF party and for his past convictions for fraud.
Leaked audio recordings have further fueled the controversy, wherein Chivhayo allegedly confirms that he secured a $40 million deal with the electoral body for the provision of election materials.
This business consortium entered a pact with South African company Ren-Form CC on February 13, 2023, to engage in Zimbabwe’s electoral tenders, raising questions about the integrity of the country’s electoral processes.
During the press conference on Thursday, ZEC deputy chairperson Rodney Kiwa stated that the tender issue was unrelated to the electoral commission and that they would not issue a statement on it.
“What would we say? We won’t get involved in issues that have nothing to do with us,” Kiwa remarked, urging journalists to move on from the subject. “I won’t respond on the actual figures involved in the elections. I actually beg you, let’s leave that issue because it has nothing to do with us.”
