Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa on Tuesday fired health minister Obadiah Moyo who is facing allegations of corruption regarding a 60 million U.S. dollars deal to procure COVID-19 medical supplies.
The minister was arrested last month for awarding contracts to Drax International LLC and Drax Consult without following a transparent tender process.
“Please be advised that the President of the Republic of Zimbabwe … has removed Obadiah Moyo from the office of Cabinet Minister with immediate effect for conduct inappropriate for a government minister,” chief secretary to the Office of President and Cabinet Misheck Sibanda said in a statement.
Moyo is the second minister in Mnangagwa’s government to be arrested over high-level corruption allegations in the past 12 months.
The sacking of the minister comes at a time when health professionals including nurses are on strike demanding payment of their salaries in U.S. dollars.
Zimbabwe has recorded 734 confirmed cases of COVID-19, nine deaths and 197 recoveries as of Monday.
