Ex-SPB boss Kuwaza snubs Parly

Zvamaida Murwira Senior Reporter
Former State Procurement Board (SPB) chairperson Mr Charles Kuwaza yesterday snubbed a Privileges and Immunities Committee constituted to probe whether or not he was in contempt of Parliament.

The charge arose when he appeared before the Mines and Energy Committee in 2015.

The committee, chaired by Mazowe West MP Cde Kazembe Kazembe (Zanu-PF), heard evidence from six Members of Parliament, who are members of the Mines and Energy Committee.

Mr Kuwaza could not be located within the Parliament building when it was his turn to give evidence, neither did he send an apology despite having been summoned to appear before the Privileges and Immunities Committee on Tuesday while at his Borrowdale residence.

Staff of Parliament looked for Mr Kuwaza within the building, where they thought he might be holed but to no avail, before they reported to Cde Kazembe that he was nowhere to be seen.

“We had invited Mr Kuwaza so that he could give his side of the story. We also wanted to give him an opportunity to cross examine witnesses. He did not come. We now want to wait for Counsel to Parliament for guidance on how we should proceed,” said Cde Kazembe while addressing journalists.

Other members of the committee that conducted yesterday’s enquiry were Mazowe South MP Cde Fortune Chasi (Zanu-PF) and Bulawayo Metropolitan MP Ms Jasmine Toffa (MDC).

Kuwadzana East MP Mr Nelson Chamisa and Harare West MP Ms Jessie Majome (both MDC-T) failed to attend because of prior engagements.

The enquiry by the committee followed a complaint raised by the Mines and Energy Committee, then chaired by Gutu Central MP Cde Lovemore Matuke (Zanu-PF), that Mr Kuwaza’s conduct before them constituted contempt of Parliament.

They alleged that he evaded responding to questions and at one stage called legislators to order, implying that the lawmakers were conducting themselves in a disorderly manner. In his evidence yesterday, Cde Matuke said they were surprised as a committee when Mr Kuwaza wrote to them questioning their terms of reference.

This was after they had asked him to come and explain tenders that were awarded to the Zimbabwe Electricity Transmission and Distribution Company.

He said Mr Kuwaza had also indicated that some of the issues raised by the committee had no relevance to energy issues.

“What our committee had asked was very relevant. He knew that our committee might unveil some suspicious activities,” said Cde Matuke.

Asked by Cde Kazembe if Mr Kuwaza’s conduct was contemptuous, Cde Matuke said: “It was more than that. He was very arrogant.”

Another committee member, Mr Fani Munengami (MDC-T), said what surprised them was that Mr Kuwaza did not bring any documentation.

“Even when the chair tried to guide him, he would not listen, he was arrogant,” said Mr Munengami.

Mr Munengami said Mr Kuwaza’s conduct had impaired their work in that they failed to tour ZETDC projects because they wanted to do that after having an appreciation of the tendering system.

Uzumba MP Cde Simba Mudarikwa (Zanu-PF) said it was disrespectful for Mr Kuwaza to ask the committee its terms of reference.

“When he initially appeared before us, he misrepresented to us that he had sent an e-mail with responses. Upon checking with our clerk, it became clear that he had not send the e-mail,” said Cde Mudarikwa.

Other MPs that testified were Marambapfungwe MP Cde Washington Musvaire (Zanu-PF) Musikavanhu MP Mr Prosper Mutseyami (MDC-T) and proportionate representative MP Bacillia Majaya (MDC-T.)