By Staff Reporter

A storm of alleged corruption, inflated contracts and intimidation has rocked a major industrial project in Kwekwe, with government warning that “heads will roll” as it moves to protect investors and jobs.

Permanent Secretary in the Office of the President and Cabinet, Engineer Tafadzwa Muguti, yesterday launched a blistering attack on individuals accused of demanding kickbacks and sabotaging progress at Global Union Alloy, a Chinese-owned ferrochrome producer currently investing in furnaces and a thermal power plant in Kwekwe.

Speaking during a visit to the site, Eng Muguti said entrenched corruption nearly derailed the project, putting at risk 180 jobs and millions of dollars in investment.

“What we are seeing people demanding kickbacks is very bad. Development cannot be stopped by one person simply because they are not benefiting,” he said.

In a dramatic intervention, the Office of the President and Cabinet (OPC) ordered the Zimbabwe Electricity Transmission and Distribution Company (ZETDC) to connect power to the project within 24 hours, cutting through what Muguti described as deliberate delays.

“There are 180 people employed here, yet one individual was disrupting development. That is unacceptable,” he said.

Investigations by the OPC have reportedly exposed a contractor linked to the project who allegedly attempted to impose a staggering markup of nearly 3 000 percent on supplies while blocking the company from sourcing materials independently.

“He refused to allow them to buy even small cables, insisting he would supply everything. That is where corruption begins,” said Eng Muguti.

The contractor has since vanished with large sums of money, according to government officials.

Authorities also revealed that the same individual allegedly issued threats to company officials and attempted to misuse the provincial minister’s office to exert pressure.

“He was sending threatening messages and abusing offices of authority. That has been dealt with at the highest levels,” Eng Muguti said, adding that both the Vice President and the responsible minister had intervened.

He warned that government would take a zero-tolerance approach to corruption going forward, particularly in projects tied to the country’s industrialisation drive.

“ZETDC must choose contractors who are loyal, honest and capable. We will not allow cartels to hijack national development,” he said.

Eng Muguti challenged provincial and district officials to create an enabling environment for investors, saying communities must benefit from such projects.

“When we bring investors, we expect you to ensure communities benefit our children, war veterans and families. If this project is sabotaged, it means 180 families go without food,” he said.

Global Union Alloy is currently constructing five furnaces and a thermal power plant at its Kwekwe site, a project seen as key to boosting ferrochrome production and energy self-sufficiency.