The Parliamentary Budget and Finance Portfolio Committee chairperson, Energy Mutodi (ZANU PF) dropped explosive allegations claiming that the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Finance, George Guvamatanga, operates a vast kickback scheme.
According to Mutodi, Guvamatanga allegedly demands a percentage of every payment authorised by the Treasury, a practice which has allegedly propelled him to become the wealthiest civil servant in the country.
The allegations were made public on Thursday by Mutodi through his X handle, who has since reported receiving threats.
“Those who refuse to pay him have had their allocations withheld for months, even when the funds were duly budgeted for,” Mutodi wrote.
He alleged that Guvamatanga had accumulated a fortune of more than US$1 billion, describing him as “the richest civil servant” in Zimbabwe, with over 5,000 dairy cattle, dairy equipment and several mansions despite earning less than US$1,000 a month.
Mutodi also said Parliament itself had struggled to operate in the past six months after Treasury withheld its budgeted funds.
He further claimed Guvamatanga had threatened to unleash a “terror team” against him following reports that he was pushing for a lifestyle audit and a Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC) probe.
It is on record that Guvamatanga once refused to appear before the Public Accounts Committee despite being summoned. That standoff sparked controversy and culminated in the removal of Kuwadzana East MP Charlton Hwende, who was then chairperson of the committee.
Mutodi also claimed that a construction company, Bitumen was asked to pay a kickback of US$200,000 in every US$2 million payment weekly.
“One Contractor Bitumen which was contracted to do roads has been asked to pay US $200,000 by George for every $2000,000 weekly payments he authorizes them to receive and they have made several complaints to Members of the Budget Committee at Parliament”, said Mutodi.
