MPs barred from Kasukuwere quiz

Lloyd Gumbo Harare Bureau
PARLIAMENT blocked Environment, Water and Climate Minister Saviour Kasukuwere from giving evidence on the establishment of the $50 million Marange-Zimunya Community Share Ownership Trust.
This followed claims by five diamond mining firms in Chiadzwa that they were either not aware of the trust or that they had pledged only $1,5 million each to it, contrary to Minister Kasukuwere’s position that they were to put $10 million each.

The firms made the claims when they appeared before the Portfolio Committee on Youth, Indigenisation and Economic Empowerment chaired by Gokwe-Nembudziya MP, Cde Justice Wadyajena (Zanu-PF).

Minister Kasukuwere spearheaded the establishment of the trust in 2012 when he was Youth Development, Indigenisation and Economic Empowerment Minister.
Former Mines and Mining Development Minister Dr Obert Mpofu has also said he does not know how the trust was established; while incumbent Indigenisation Minister Francis Nhema has said he could not locate purported correspondence between the ministry and diamond miners during Minister Kasukuwere’s tenure.

About two hours after yesterday’s session was supposed to start, Deputy Clerk of Parliament Kennedy Chokuda had a closed door meeting with MPs before Cde Wadyajena told the media that Minister Kasukuwere would not appear before the committee. No reasons were given and questions were not entertained.

It was left to Clerk of Parliament Austin Zvoma who explained: “Minister Kasukuwere cannot be invited to appear to answer and produce documents from a ministry of which he is no longer a minister, that’s not allowed.

“Ministers are appointed at the pleasure of the President.
“When a minister transfers, there is what’s called a handover, takeover . . . When a minister leaves, he’s not allowed to carry even one document out of the office except personal documents. That’s part of the rules that they must abide by.”