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Sikhumbuzo Moyo, Senior Sports Reporter
ONLY five of the 24 companies that were contracted by officials from the Ministry of Local Government, Public Works and National Housing to do major construction work for the 2014 African Union Sports Council Region Five Under-20 Youth Games were domiciled in Bulawayo with the rest coming from Harare.
This flew in the face of efforts by the Government of Zimbabwe to capacitate Bulawayo industries and reduce migration of industries from the second largest City to the capital as alluded to by the late former President Robert Mugabe during the Games’ torch lighting ceremony held at the State House in September 2014.
Mugabe said Bulawayo was chosen to play host to the Games as part of plans to revive its industrial capacity adding that he personally wanted the Games to come to Bulawayo because the City had suffered the most from years of illegal sanctions despite the fact that it was established as the industrial hub.
“It was the centre and is still the centre, the capital of our railway systems and of course for some of us who have lived around there and whose parents also worked that side, have much sentiment within us, an undying sentiment for Bulawayo. So, there it is now, this is it now along with other activities, socio-economic activities are also taking place, reviving the City, reviving the industries gradually, the railways system, the transport system,” said the late former Head of State and Government.
However, a list published by an audit firm mandated by Cabinet to carry out a forensic audit of the Games revealed that only six Bulawayo based teams won tenders floated by the Public works Ministry whose top officials Mike Dzimati and a Muchada also signed off contract variation orders that saw original contract figures going up.
“We did not find proof of State Procurement Board (SPB) review for the respective contracts where variations were made,” noted the auditors in respect to one of the contracts changed by Dzimati.
Online Reporter