President Emmerson Mngangagwa fired Energy Minister Fortune Chasi who only last week he ordered to have his strained relationship with the ZESA CEO to be investigated by the Zimbabwe Anti Corruption Commission

Mnangagwa gave the ZACC four weeks to complete investigations of corruption allegations raised against ZESA’s Executive Chairman Dr Sydney Gata and his entire board by Chasi.

In a statement, the Chief Secretary to the President and Cabinet Dr Misheck Sibanda said President Mnangagwa suspended Dr Gata and the entire Zesa Board and instructed the ZACC Chairperson Justice Loice Matanda Moyo to immediately investigate graft allegations raised against Dr Gata, his entire Zesa board and the electricity sector as a whole.

“His Excellency the President, Cde Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa has, in terms of Section 16 (1) (a) read together with Section 16 (1) (d) of the public Entities Corporate Governance Act, suspended the Executive Chairman of the ZESA Holdings, Dr Sydney Gata and the entire ZESA Board Members with immediate effect, ”

“His Excellency the President has also directed the Chairperson of the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC), Justice Loice Matanda Moyo to immediately undertake thorough investigations into the following issues: (1) the allegations against the Executive Chairman by Honourable Minister of Energy and Power Development Advocate Fortune Chasi and (2) Any other underlying corrupt activites bedevilling ZESA Board members and the electricity sector as a whole, ” reads the statement.

Chasi recently suspended Dr Gata who is believed to be very close to the First Familyand and barred from entering the power utility’s headquarters.