from WELLINGTON TONI in Harare, Zimbabwe
HARARE, (CAJ News) – ZIMBABWE’S Minister of Health and Child Care, Dr Obadiah Moyo, has been dismissed from his post apparently over allegations of corruption recently leveled against him.
President Emmerson Mnangagwa sacked him with immediate effect.
Dr Misheck Sibanda, the Chief Secretary to the President and Cabinet, confirmed the beleaguered politician was dismissed for “conduct
inappropriate for a Government minister.”
Moyo becomes the second high profile figure to be fired in the last two
months following the dismissal of Deputy Minister of Information, Energy
Mutodi.
It brings to an end an ill-fated term that began in September 2018 when
Mnangagwa appointed him as his health minister in his inaugural government, which pledged to fight corruption.
Moyo’s position had become untenable after he was arrested last month and slapped with three charges of criminal abuse of office.
This followed the irregular awarding of a US$42 million contract to Drax
International for the supply of coronavirus (COVID-19) medicines, personal protective clothing and masks without going to tender.
He was released on ZWL50 000 bail and is due back in court on July 31.
His ministerial role has been marred by disease outbreak, incessant strikes by doctors and the general collapse of the sector.
Moyo has been leading Zimbabwe’s COVID-19 Task Force.
Zimbabwe had 734 cases and nine deaths from the virus at the time of publication.
– CAJ News