Cabinet protects ZESA chef and Mugabe in law from corruption probe

By Tererai Karimakwenda
12 August 2005

Zimonline reports that Zimbabwe's Cabinet last month blocked the investigation of a multi-billion dollar irrigation scandal involving the ZESA executive chairman Sydney Gata - who is married to a sister of Robert Mugabe. Gata allegedly misused funds and equipment at the state's ZESA Holdings electricity utility for personal gain. Cabinet approval is not needed in order to initiate an investigation. But it is believed Nyambuya asked for it because he was dealing with Mugabe's son-in-law.

Energy Minister Mike Nyambuya is said to have requested approval from Cabinet to order the police to investigate last June. According to sources for Zimonline, the Cabinet shot down Nyambuya's request claiming Gata was a victim of a smear campaign. But the sources for Zimonline said this may have been an attempt by the cabinet to please Mugabe as well as cover-up for their own "shady deals with Gata". The report says Mugabe himself did not intervene in the debate.

The energy minister was allegedly tipped-off by some ZESA employees who said that ZESA Enterprises had deployed funds, men and equipment to set up a Z$2.3 billion irrigation project at Rupise and Mutema Taona farms in Chipinge district. Both farms belong to Gata.

Although officials at ZESA are reported to have flatly denied that they were involved in developing irrigation projects at Gata's farms, ZESA civil engineers and other technicians told ZimOnline they had been working at the irrigation projects since last November. An engineer staying at one o the farms is reported saying the project was supposed to have been completed by now but it had been hampered by fuel shortages.
In 2004, the entire board of ZESA was fired by Mugabe for incompetence, all except Gata, whom he reappointed as chairman of the new board.