By Paidashe Mandivengerei
Alpha Media Holdings weekly newspaper, Zimbabwe Independent is suing government for withholding information on the procurement of ZUPCO buses.
This comes after the newspaper made an information request in September last year to government after noting anomalies in the procurement process, raising suspicions that the buses were sold at an inflated price.
Zimbabwe Independent Publishers and anti-corruption organisation, Transparency International Zimbabwe have approached the High Court citing ministers, Mthuli Ncube and July Moyo as respondents and demanding that the two give reasons why they withheld the information.
In an affidavit, Zimbabwe Independent editor, Faith Zaba said, “The applicants in this matter jointly seek an order from this honourable Court in terms of section 6 (1) (b) of the Administrative Justice Act (Chapter 28:10) (The Act) specifically for an order compelling Local government and finance ministers to supply the applicants with written reasons for their refusal to provide information relating to the purchase of buses for Zupco cited as third respondent.”
Earlier in March, The Herald reported that government had taken delivery of 65 buses from China in order to ease transport woes but ministers of Local Government, Transport and Finance had distanced themselves from the transaction after enquiries were made.
Zaba added, “The respondents evasive attitude only raised greater concerns around the business and financial arrangements relating to the transaction and on August 26 2020, the applicants legal practitioners wrote to Zupco and the transport minister requesting information relating to the purchase of buses.”
In July 2020 the Freedom of Information Act was gazzetted and with the new act every person, Zimbabwean or non-Zimbabwean can request information from private, public, and commercial entities and it has to be availed within 48 hours.
