The High Court has ordered Public Service, Labor and Social Protection Minister July Moyo and Further and Higher Education Minister Fredrick Shava, linked to the Willowgate car scandal, to repay ZiG 200 million to the Treasury, following accusations that they misappropriated funds intended for Zimbabwe’s development. vulnerable populations, including the elderly, children and the economically disadvantaged.

The lawsuit, initiated by former opposition MP Marvelous Kumalo, alleged that ministers inappropriately borrowed funds from several government programs intended to support people in need without obtaining the required approval from the Treasury. Kumalo’s legal representative, Tonderai Bhatasara of Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights, argued that the ministers’ actions violated the Public Financial Management (Treasury Instructions) 2019 and the Constitution of Zimbabwe, particularly the articles mandating transparency and responsibility in the management of public resources.

Kumalo argued that the use of these funds by ministers violated the principles of public financial management and contravened section 116 of the Public Financial Management (Treasury Instructions), which prohibits borrowing from ministerial funds without prior approval from the Treasury. The alleged borrowings, detailed in the 2023 Auditor General’s report, included misappropriation of essential social funds such as the Sustainable Livelihoods Fund, Child Welfare Fund, Older Persons Fund and the Industrial Training and Commercial Testing Fund.

According to Kumalo’s application, the Ministry of Public Service borrowed approximately ZWL$39.6 million from the Sustainable Livelihoods Fund in 2021, followed by additional borrowings of ZWL$106.2 million in 2022 and ZWL$369.8 million of ZWL dollars in 2023. Funds would also have been drawn from the Child Protection Fund (ZWL$3.5 million) in 2021 and the Older Persons Fund (ZWL$153,648) in 2022, all amounts remaining unpaid.

Kumalo also presented records of alleged unauthorized loans granted by the Ministry of Higher Education, including a loan of ZWL$5,250 from the Industrial Training and Vocational Testing Fund in 2019 and ZWL$2.1 million of the Skilled Workforce Testing and Certification Fund in 2020.

High Court Justice Gladys Mhuri ordered Ministers Moyo and Shava to repay ZiG206.37 million within three months and ordered them to seek Treasury approval for the amounts borrowed within 60 days.