Source: Gudyanga faces contempt of Parly | The Herald May 6, 2017
Zvamaida Murwira Senior Reporter
Secretary for Mines and Mining Development Professor Francis Gudyanga is facing contempt of Parliament charges after he failed to provide legislators with lie detector results he allegedly used to dismiss some senior officials from the Zimbabwe Consolidated Diamond Company.
Parliament’s portfolio committee on Mines and Energy chaired by Masvingo Urban legislator Dr Daniel Shumba (Zanu-PF) also recommended that Prof Gudyanga be relieved of his duties for poor corporate governance.
Presenting the committee’s report on consolidation of diamond mining firms, Cde Shumba accused Prof Gudyanga of unilaterally running parastatals under his ministry and appointing people from his rural home to sit on boards.
“After 100 days in office, the former management team was dismissed, save for one person, Dr Ridge Nyashanu (acting chief executive officer), and yet, some of them had signed six-year contracts,” he said.
“Most of them were dismissed after undergoing a polygraph test, commonly known as lie detector tests.
“The former employees were asked questions such as: ‘are you drunk?’ and ‘do you operate a syndicate?’
“Prof Gudyanga refused to give your committee the polygraph test results and we shall invoke rules to charge him of contempt of Parliament.
“The management executives were not given any reasons for their retrenchment or dismissal. This may constitute unfair labour practice as defined in Section 65 of the Constitution.”
It was noted that the management relieved of their duties had a combined total of 127 years of experience in diamond mining acquired from renowned companies.
Dr Shumba said ZCDC had five board members and Prof Gudyanga was the acting chairperson.
“The Committee learnt that all the board members hail from Manicaland. This is in violation of Section 194 (j) of the Constitution of Zimbabwe,” he said.
Gutu West MP Cde Tongai Muzenda (Zanu-PF) said there was need to dissolve ZCDC and properly constitute it.
“It must be in line with the Constitution where it shows regional representation and gender balance,” he said.
“Political interference must cease, especially from the Permanent Secretary. The Civil Service Commission should recall Prof Gudyanga because of poor corporate governance and in some cases his position is conflicted.”
Norton MP Mr Temba Mliswa slammed Mines and Mining Development Minister Walter Chidhakwa for failing to reign in Prof Gudyanga, saying the failure might have the effect of implicating him.
Binga South MP Mr Gabbuza Joel Gabbuza (MDC-T) said all the work at ZCDC was being sub-contracted, including the easiest of jobs.
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