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Obediah Mazombwe and Chivi South legislator Cde Irvine Dzingirai from interfering with its operations.
Rio Zim Limited, through their lawyer Advocate Thabani Mpofu, alleged that Minister Mzembi addressed a meeting in which he indicated that Cde Dzingirai was going to take over operations at Renco Mine.
They further claim that MP Dzingirai indeed took over the mine and was using a guest house at the mine.
In an urgent chamber application, Rio Zim sought an order directing the trio to allow them to land at Renco Mine airstrip and collect gold bullion without hindrance, restore security personnel at the gate and directing MP Dzingirai to vacate the guest house.
Through their lawyer, Mr Jonathan Samukange, the trio opposed the application with Minister Mzembi saying he had no desire to take over the mine.
“The allegations made against me are malicious, scandalous and defamatory. The allegations are intended to insult me in my personal capacity, the Zanu-PF party, the Government and the people in my constituency who voted for me. They will perceive me to be a minister who has no respect for the rule of law despite that as a Member of Parliament and minister, i swore to obey and observe the laws of this country.
“I am actually consulting with my lawyers so that I can institute proceedings for defamation. I must point out that while I was in Spain last week, the United Nations World Tourism Organisation secretariat inquired on what was going on and why I was taking over the mine after reading the applicant’s cautionary statement which was much publicised internationally and I explained to them the only role I had played was at the invitation of the board of management,” he said.
Minister Mzembi said he was trying to resolve the dispute and his involvement was only because he was the area’s legislator.
The minister argued that he should not have been cited as a respondent adding that as far as he was aware the dispute was a labour one which should have been taken to the Labour Court.
He said the RioZim chairman and chief executive had been seeking audience with him for the past six months. Minister Mzembi said on one occasion when he met the chairman during their exchanges, he was offered US$100 000 which he refused.
MP Dzingai denied that he sought to despoil the mine saying the allegations were false and baseless.
He denied the presence of militia at the mine saying the truth was that Rio Zim has a labour dispute with its employees and after failing to solve same they were looking for scape goats. He said he was tasked with setting up a community share trust and alleged that Rio Zim did not want to implement the full indigenisation plan and was trying to retract from its undertaking.
“The allegation by Nunudzai Michel Masunda that I had taken over the mine is false, malicious and scandalous. As I have indicated above the mining manager is still at the mine and is carrying out his duties as before. As far as I am aware, no one has interfered with him,” he submitted.
Mr Mazombwe said he did not understand why he was cited as he had no personal interest in what was happening at the mine and did not want to get involved.
“I believe that i am justified in asking that the applicant be ordered to pay costs on an attorney and client scale for having wrongfully, unlawfully and without cause cited me,” he said.
Online Reporter