Zimbabwe president Emmerson Mnangagwa has sacked his Health minister, Obadiah Moyo over a Covid-19 scandal involving $80 million, a senior government official tweeted on Tuesday.
Moyo is accused of involvement in a fraudulent deal for the acquisition of test kits and medical items without a proper tender process outlined by the government.
In a tweet, Information Secretary Nick Mangwana said Dr. Moyo’s dismissal will take immediate effect.
According to a letter carrying the signature of Cabinet secretary, Misheck Sibanda, Moyo’s sacking stemmed from “an inappropriate for a government minister.”
Briefly arrested and detained, Dr. Moyo has been ordered by a Harare court to pay $50,000 after he was fingered in the scam to purchase medical materials to help Zimbabwe tackle the coronavirus outbreak.
He had allegedly given Drax International the contract to supply the materials without tender.
A senior official of the company has been detained over the case and released on a $50,000 bail bond by a magistrates’ court.
WN/as/APA