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Programme amid allegations that underserving people benefited from the scheme.
The hearing by the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Agriculture, Lands and Resettlement was aborted last month after Dr Gono declined to divulge information citing bank-client confidentiality.
Dr Gono’s decision not to furnish the committee with the information resulted in heated exchanges that saw committee member and Goromonzi MP, Cde Paddy Zhanda (Zanu-PF), storming out of the meeting.
In an interview yesterday, committee chairperson, Mr Moses Jiri (MDC-T), said they had met as a committee and resolved that they should proceed with their inquiries despite the reservations the central bank boss had raised.
“We met as a committee and requested legal advice from counsel to Parliament. The legal advice that we got was that it is within our powers and jurisdiction to make the inquiries. We have therefore taken that advice and resolved as a committee to proceed with the inquiries,” said Mr Jiri who is also Chikomba Central MP.
Mr Jiri said they had considered the reason advanced by Dr Gono that the RBZ Act and Banking Act did not permit him to disclose bank-client information to third parties.
“We resolved that legal provision did not apply to our inquiries. Legal statutes governing operations of Parliament supersede any other law, so that excuse cannot be used to stop our inquiries. He has to come and respond to our inquiries, otherwise we will invoke necessary legal statutes,” said Mr Jiri.
It was also agreed that a letter would be written to Dr Gono through the administration of Parliament advising the central bank chief of the committee’s position.
“A letter will be written through the secretary of Parliament advising him of our position so that he can prepare to bring the documents we want on a date we are still to determine,” he said.
During the meeting, Dr Gono was asked to furnish the committee with names of people who benefited from the government mechanisation programme at the height of the central bank’s quasi-fiscal activities.
Dr Gono indicated that he was not at liberty to disclose such information, citing a clause governing banking regulations.
He cited Section 60 (1) of the RBZ Act, which forbids bank staff from disclosing information relating to the affairs of the bank or a customer, unless lawfully required to do so by any court or under any enactment.
Anyone who contravenes the provision would be liable to a heavy fine or imprisonment for a period not exceeding two years. Cde Zhanda said a person called before the Parliamentary committee to give evidence was protected under the privileges of Parliament.
Other legislators seemed to differ with Cde Zhanda as they felt that Dr Gono should be given time to consult the Ministry of Agriculture, Mechanisation and Irrigation Development so that he could secure clearance to give out the information.
A heated argument then ensued, leading to Cde Zhanda walking out of the meeting in a huff.
Online Reporter