A controversy has erupted in Zimbabwe’s education sector involving Vordim Trading, a Bulawayo-based company accused of bribing school officials and inflating bus prices. The scandal came to light after parents at Mafakela Primary School protested a compulsory $25 bus levy, which led to the discovery of alleged corruption involving School Development Committees (SDCs) and Vordim Trading.
The company, owned by Kenias Papiro, a former police officer, is accused of selling buses to schools at inflated prices, with some costing up to $200,000, despite being imported from China for $50,000 to $60,000. Schools are forced to take out bank loans to purchase these buses, passing the costs to parents through levies.
The Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education has acknowledged awareness of Vordim Trading but claims it is not involved in procurement decisions. However, Transparency International Zimbabwe (TIZ) says the case highlights deep flaws in school procurement and calls for urgent investigations and forensic audits.
The allegations against Vordim Trading include inflating bus prices by hundreds of thousands of dollars, bribing school officials, including SDCs, to secure contracts, and bypassing procurement laws and PRAZ guidelines. The impact on schools and parents is significant, with schools struggling to service hefty interest rates on loans and parents burdened with repayments and levies. Some schools pay up to $30,000 per term to service loans.
The Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC) has received reports on the matter, but parents are concerned the case may be ignored. Activists say the Vordim case reflects systemic corruption in procurement in Zimbabwe’s schools, where SDCs control large sums of money with little oversight.
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