VC faces the chop at UZ
Paul A
Paul A
Hill faces the chop at UZ
Farai Mutsaka
UNIVERSITY of Zimbabwe vice chancellor, Professor Graham Hill, faces
dismissal if allegations that he participated in a multi-million dollar
contracts scam that has rocked the institution are proved, The Standard
has established.
Hill, together with other senior members of the UZ executive, who
include the dean of students, Dr George Madzima, a bursar who is not
named, and an unnamed pro- vice chancellor, has been implicated in the
scam that has cost the institution millions of dollars.
Some members from the institution’s creditors section, including a
certain S. Chaitezvi, who is said to have signed four of the cheques,
have also had their roles in the scheme questioned.
Highly placed sources told this newspaper that tough decisions will
have to be made after the investigations, and certain executive members
faced dismissal if the allegations were found to be true.
After last month’s heated university council meeting and revelations in
The Standard that four contracts were awarded to some companies in
unclear circumstances, UZ council chairman, Gideon Gono, asked
investigations into the circumstances surrounding the contracts.
Since members of the university executive were believed to be involved
in the shady deals, Gono ordered that those with information regarding
the issue, present it to him personally and disregard the executive
which could tamper with the evidence.
A team, which excludes the executive and chaired by the chairman of the
Commercial Law Institute, Professor Michael Tilbury, was also set up to
look into the issue and expose the culprits.
Other members of the committee are the faculty of science deputy dean,
Dr Teddy Zengeni, the dean of commerce, Mrs T Mutaviri, and the deputy
registrar (academic) who is the secretary of the committee.
According to submissions made to Gono by some council members and
obtained by The Standard this week, senior UZ executive members
allegedly abused their positions to benefit from UZ contracts.
Read part one of the submissions: “There is a general feeling that UZ
executives are grossly misusing their positions to benefit themselves
at the expense of everything, with possible manipulation of the
University Council itself. Implications are on the Vice Chancellor, Pro
Vice Chancellor, the Bursar and the dean of students. More will
however, come out in our endeavour, as assigned by council, to
investigate and come up with cost cutting proposals.”
Contacted for comment, Gono remained tight lipped: “My stance is still
the same. This is a private matter and I do not intend to comment on
the issue in the press. I shall make a comment at the appropriate
time.”
According to the submissions, Madzima presented the payment claims for
the curtaining contract which were authorised by the bursar.
Sources said Gono was concerned about the corruption at the institution
and was prepared to use his influence to get rid of all those
implicated in the scam in order to clean up the tattered image of the
institution.
They said most members of the UZ community were fed up with the
corruption and were prepared to expose the senior members who were
involved.
Read some of the submissions: “The Bursar is the principal officer on
financial issues of this university. He ought to give sound advice and
make credible decisions particularly when the whole nation is in a
critical financial crisis. He authorised all payments to claims
submitted by the dean of students totalling $11 million. Why did he
allow such expensive costs when the university has no money? Even if it
is students’ money, could such resources not be used to benefit the
students in the areas of need such as the library?
“The core business of students is suffering whilst the students affairs
section is spending millions on curtaining. The Library is ill-equipped
yet the very person in charge of students’ interests is busy ordering
curtains.”
Members of the university community also wanted an investigation to be
carried out on the ownership of Branchycome Investments, which carried
out the curtaining job.
Some of the cheques, they charged, had been made in unclear
circumstances: “Two cheques were made out on 24 August 2000, with a
value of $684 250 each and both having two numbers. Cheque numbers
reflected on the postings are 603625, 603626 and 603627. The cheque
numbers quoted on the postings of 24 August 2000 do not tally with the
assumed cheque numbers as per requisition forms. Some of the cheques
were signed for by Creditors section personnel i.e. S. Simango and S.
Chaitezvi. Of concern are ID numbers for Mr S Chaitezvi which appear to
be cheque numbers as well. He needs to clarify on this one. The last
cheque Mr Chaitezvi received has two Voucher Numbers and no ID
number-which is which?,” they alleged.
The curtaining contract cost $11 445 375 despite the fact that only $3
500 000 had been budgeted for halls of residence and kitchens. It
therefore came as a mystery that $11 million was approved for the
curtaining job when the university was broke.
The Standard, a fortnight ago, revealed that multi million dollar
contracts were awarded at the UZ without following proper tender
procedures.
The contracts were awarded to Branchycome Investments, Biticon and
Borrowdale Brook Nursery. The contracts were for curtaining the halls
of residence, undertaking drainage works at the university, one for
cleaning the halls of residence and another for the maintenance of
university grounds. It is however, the curtaining contract that has
sparked the most debate.
“After the inquiry I assure you heads are going to roll. A lot of
corruption had been going unnoticed and the fact that Gono seems to be
determined to get to the bottom of this means big people are going to
fall,” said one source privy to the investigations.
The permanent secretary in the ministry of higher education, Dr Michael
Mambo is also said to have expressed dissatisfaction at the manner in
which the executive was handling the contracts issue.