By Correspondent
The jailing of Ward 26 Councillor Mpumelelo Moyo and cancellation of a lease agreement for Labenmon has marked the end of a business deal in a scenario that highlights the country’s challenges with corruption.
Bulawayo Council last week cancelled a lease awarded for a proposed cement-mixing plant for Labenmon Pvt Ltd (officials in picture).
This is after the Chinese-owned company failed to complete the lease-signing process.
The resolution follows after the arrest and conviction of Cllr Moyo.
Moyo was jailed for a year after he was caught demanding a US$20,000 bribe to fast-track the project in Cowdray Park.
The Cllr, who chaired the powerful Finance and Development Committee, was convicted of soliciting the kickback from Labenmon Investments.
This was in exchange for the approval of a 5.6-hectare plot earmarked for the project.
It is the failure to sign for that lease which has resulted in the cancellation of the agreement by BCC.
Bulawayo Provincial Magistrate Richard Ramaboea suspended six months from the initial 18 months on condition of good behaviour.
This has left Moyo to serve an effective 12 months.
Project Fails As Corruption Kick-In
The project, planned for Umvumila Industrial Park was approved in October 2024 but saw no progress despite repeated reminders.
While many were eager for the project to take-off and add to Bulawayo’s GDP, it quickly got caught up in multiple issues due to corrupt Councillors and officials.
Initially, Deputy Mayor Edwin Ndlovu was also arrested by ZACC together with Cllr Moyo.
Ndlovu was later acquitted, while Moyo was convicted.
The failure of the project from taking off due to corruption issues highlights the prevalence of corruption within the system.
There were also concerns from within BCC after a delegation on a fact-finding mission to Mozambique returned with negative verdicts.
Business and Investment Committee chair Councillor Mxolisi Mahlangu argued against the deal.
“Giving Labenmon Investments credit for an operation that was not theirs would prejudice council.”
It appeared that Labenmon had take the Cllrs to a plant that wasn’t their own in a bid to convince officials!
The company was also fined US$5000 by the Zimbabwe Environmental Management Agency for breaching environmental regulations at another one of its plants in Magunje.
