There was chaos in parliament throughout this week as MPs jostled and fought a war of words with parliament staff over the computer-gate deal. A couple of weeks ago it was revealed that the Ministry of Finance’s Treasury department had been forced to cancel a laptop and desktop computer tender that had been awarded to a company called Blinart Investments. The company was demanding an eyewatering US$9 000 per laptop. Back then some of those caught in the scandal tried to justify the deal saying that these were actually the lowest bids. Evidence now shows that there were a lot of other capable suppliers of computers that were passed on as the deal to supply computers was awarded to Blinart Investments under unclear circumstances.

Below is a list of all the companies that supplied their tender bids. The tenders were for a total of 173 laptops and 79 desktops for use by the parliament and its staff.

Bidder	Amount $
	LAPTOP	DESKTOP
Omni Africa	$1 991 117.79(USD)	$ 697 381.75(USD)
Kemek Technologies	$998 071 .60(USD)	$ 191 424 90(USD)
AT Telecoms	$ 673 172.06 (USD)	N/A
Century Technology	$ 1 043 903.99(USD)	$317039.35(USD)
Happy year Tech	$ 991 217.34 (USD)	N/A
Axis Solutions	$ 363 762 50 (USD)	$ 982 008.98 (USD)
*Lacheln*	*$213 655(USD)*	*$87 295 (USD*
TrickMut Computers	$583 245. 28(USD)	$ 234 054.09 (USD)
Global Horizon	$ 664 1320.00 (USD)	$ 171 825.00(USD)
Ashert	$ 448 480.01 (USD)	$ 109 659. 90 (USD)
Frologate Technology	$ 593 822. 50 (USD)	$ 306 032 .18 (USD)
*Mid-End Computers (Pvt) Ltd*	*$1 635 587.85 (USD)*	*$ 243 052.59 (USD)*

Stem Magnetics	$242451. 00(USD)	$ 150 008. 85(USD)
Compulink Systems	$1,138 578.88 (USD)	$ 485 118.90(USD)
Teezik Technologies	$1 056 597.57 (USD)	$ 328 640.00 (USD)
Tafron Technologies	$ 1 363 508.55 (USD)	$ 286 627.60(USD)
Avantis Technologies	$ 530 391. 64 (USD)	$167 796.00(USD)
Top Tech Computers	$ 179 043 668.95 (ZWL)	$508 97 216. 24 (ZWL)
Light House Digital	$ 416757.00 (USD)	$ 207 691.00 (USD)
Kintex Investments	$796 524.58 (USD)	$ 325 29.47 (USD)
Zacks Electronics	$467 100 (USD)	$ 165 900(USD)
Metro Sol	$ 952 685.05 (USD)	$ 237 46.94(USD)
Palsten Investments	$ 1 944 698. 19 (USD)	$588 550.00 (USD)
Tafano Investments	$432 500 (USD)	$ 221 200 (USD)
Wilhart Enterprises	$ 326 840 250(ZWL)	$113 068 750 (ZWL)
Ovacoda Business	$ 682 485(USD)	$209 350 (USD)
Airhead Investment	$ 462 818.25(USD)	$138 467.25(USD)
*Blinart investments P/L*	*$ 1 602 755.77(USD*)	*$333 348.40(USD)*
Elite Collection (Pvt) Ltd	$ 150 495.00 (USD)	$ 482 151.00(USD)

The data above clearly shows that a lot of rather well-known companies were willing to supply the required laptops at prices near market prices but were passed by in unclear circumstances. Those involved have embarrassingly tried to claim that parliament wanted high-end computers that can handle Zoom calls without issues. The truth is Zoom is not a processor-intensive application and it can work well on just about every computer. In any case, even if these were Core i9 (the highest powered processor) they would not even have cost US$4 500 even with a massive markup added on top. One thing that can only explain how this deal was awarded, corruption. Strangely Blinart, is shown to have won and completed several such tenders in the past.