Zinara legal director Ms Angeline Karonga and CAAZ GM David Chawota formed Akodac Consultancy Services which was awarded a multimillion dollar tender by Zinara

Government has turned down the resignation of senior director in the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructural Development Ms Angeline Karonga, who is facing charges of corruption involving a tender awarded to her company by the Zimbabwe National Roads Administration (Zinara). Ms Karonga, who is the Ministry’s legal director, tendered her resignation a few days after she was arraigned on corruption charges.
Questions were raised over the timing of her resignation since her case was still before the courts.
Transport and Infrastructural Development Minister Joe Biggie Matiza confirmed the development to The Herald.
“Yes, her resignation was turned down until her case which is before the courts is finalised,” he said. “Her resignation letter states that she has served long enough and wants to resign, but it was felt that she should wait for the finalisation of her case.”
Ms Karonga, who is on bail, is being charged together with Civil Aviation Authority of Zimbabwe general manager David Chawota.
The pair formed a company called Akodac Consultancy Services in 2009, which was then awarded a tender by Zinara, a parastatal in the same ministry where Karonga is a director.
Akodac Consultancy was contracted to supply bitumen to Zinara and was paid US$1 234 004,72.
The two appeared in court recently facing charges of corruptly concealing a personal interest in a transaction from a principal when they appeared before Harare magistrate Mrs Learnmore Mapiye.
It is alleged that in January 2012, Karonga and Chawota’s company made an application to the State Procurement Board (SPB) to be on the approved list of suppliers of bulk and drummed bitumen to participate in Government tenders.
The application was duly approved.
The pair’s company then registered as a supplier of bitumen with Zinara, a public entity under the ministry.
Further, the company went on to carry out transactions for supply of catmix and stable 60 which are products of the manufacturer of bitumen on 24 occasions from February 2 2012 up to August 18 2013.
The court heard that Karonga and Chawota were carrying out transactions in connection with their principal’s affairs — that is supplying bitumen to Zinara, a public entity despite it falling within the same Ministry where Karonga is the legal advisor and Chawota is a general manager for CAAZ, a public entity reporting to the same ministry. herald