Source: Minister cornered over Grace donations – NewsDay Zimbabwe April 19, 2016
AN opposition legislator has accused Finance minister Patrick Chinamasa of taking too long to answer a question on First Lady Grace Mugabe’s donations of farm equipment to Zanu PF supporters at her rallies early this year.
BY VENERANDA LANGA
Mabvuku-Tafara legislator, James Maridadi (MDC-T) raised a point of order with Acting Speaker of the National Assembly Reuben Marumahoko before Parliament adjourned for the Independence Day holiday last week, saying the question must be answered, as it had stayed for long on the order paper.
The issue of Grace’s donations was raised as a written question by Bulawayo South MP Eddie Cross (MDC-T) in February.
“The Finance and Economic Development minister must explain whether the recent tours to the provinces by the First Lady were catered for by the State and if so, to state the expenditure incurred and also if the minister could report to the House the extent and jurisdiction of such expenditure,” Cross asked.
Chinamasa has not yet responded to the issue, but Marumahoko promised that the question would be answered when the House resumes next month.
Last October, Vice-President Emmerson Mnangagwa brushed aside that same question saying: “The First Lady handed over, and not donated, equipment on behalf of the Agriculture minister.”
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