By A Correspondent| In a recent development, there are accusations surrounding the awarding of a borehole drilling contract to Paul Tempter Tungwarara’s Prevail International company.
It is alleged that the contract was awarded without following proper tender procedures and there are claims of inflated prices for the project.
The Zimbabwe National Water Authority (ZINWA) is at the center of this controversy, with concerns being raised about the Prevail Group company’s capacity to handle such a large-scale project.
Prior to the donations by Dubai based billionaire who was duped by Tungwarara, Prevail International was not into borehole drilling.
According to reliable information, Tungwarara’s company was granted a contract to drill 4000 boreholes in villages.
However, there are reports suggesting that these boreholes are not being drilled in the community as intended.
A source revealed, “The boreholes are being drilled at the Chief’s homestead and are no longer benefiting the community.”
Additionally, there are allegations that a borehole was drilled at a shopping center without seeking permission from the owner of the stand, which has raised concerns, especially during the time of elections.
Furthermore, sources within ZINWA have claimed that the prices charged by Prevail International for drilling the boreholes are exorbitant, exceeding US$12,000 compared to other companies providing similar services for USD$6,000.
This accusation has led to further scrutiny regarding the cost-effectiveness of the project and its potential financial implications for the public.
It has also been alleged that Tungwarara employed a strategy to secure the contract by using Mulk Shaji UI International, a company that has donated boreholes to the government.
Reports suggest that he donated boreholes to communities in Glen View, St Mary’s, and Binga, seemingly as a goodwill gesture. It is believed that these donations were used to influence ZINWA’s decision-making process and secure the drilling contract through unconventional means.
These allegations have raised concerns among the public and have cast doubts on the integrity of the contract awarding process within ZINWA. Citizens are demanding a thorough investigation into the matter to ensure transparency, accountability, and adherence to proper procedures when awarding government contracts.
Efforts to get a comment from Tungwarara were fruitless as his mobile phone is currently unreachable while a WhatsApp message send to his number was ignored.