SOURCE: Online news site Zimeye
Full text- Obediah Moyo Fired pic.twitter.com/LoAqMK4aFj
— ZimEye (@ZimEye) June 21, 2020
VERDICT: INCORRECT , The image being shared is a altered copy of the Press statement dated 08 August 2019 that was used when former Tourism Minister, Prisca Mupfumira was dismissed from cabinet, Currently Health Minister Obadiah Moyo is released on bail following his arrest on allegations of corruption over the $60 million Covid-19 medical supply equipment scandal.
Online news site, www.zimeye.com published a tweet headlined: Full text- Obediah Moyo Fired
The tweet quickly went viral and was reproduced on social media platforms Twitter and WhatsApp, stoking public excitement over the alleged dismal of the health minister Dr Obadiah Moyo from Cabinet.
A statement signed by chief secretary to the president and cabinet read in part: President of the Republic has “removed Obadiah Moyo from Office of Cabinet Minister and Minister of Government with immediate effect for conduct inappropriate for a Minister of Government.”
Background
Dr Obadiah Moyo was arrested on Friday by the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission, the embattled Health minster is is accused of trying to coerce the treasury to pay for 15,000 corona virus test kits For 15000 kits, Moyo was arrested for his dealings with Drax International LLC and Drax Consult SAGL, companies prosecutors claim were illegally awarded contracts by the health ministry without a competitive tender process.
Through a quick search on Alibaba a Covid testing kit costs on average between USD7-USD12 from China before shipping , Drax International LLC and Drax Consult SAGL, companies charged US$34 per kit. For 15000 kits, bringing total to US$510 000 billed to the Zimbabwe government. only 3700 kits where supplied after it emerged that Minister Obediah Moyo claimed there were 15 000 test kits at the Robert Mugabe International Airport, but upon investigation by George Guvamatanga the current Permanent Secretary In the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development, who went to check the consignment at the airport it was discovered that there were only 3 700 test kits delivered
The local representative of Drax International, Delish Nguwaya is currently in remand prison after he was denied bail last Monday. Moyo becomes the second minister in President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s government to be arrested over corruption. The other is former Tourism Minister, Prisca Mupfumira whose case is still pending before the courts.
