Kasukuwere documents on Marange share ownership pledges fake? 03/04/2014 NewZimbabwe
FORMER Indigenisation Minister Saviour Kasukuwere’s account on the ongoing community share ownership scheme disbursements saga in Marange has been put to question again.
Kasukuwere claims companies mining gems in Chiadzwa each pledged $10 million towards the controversial Marange-Zimunya community share ownership schemes.
But the companies deny this, saying they infact pledged and agreed with government to contribute $1,5 million each.
To bolster his side of the argument, Kasukuwere, now environment minister, went on to produce documentary “evidence”, which was reproduced on State media.
These were, according to Kasukuwere, letters purportedly written to then Mines minister, Obert Mpofu and the Mbada Diamonds boss indicating that the companies were each to contribute $10 million.
While Kasukuwere walked tall after tendering the “evidence”, his successor Francis Nhema came to parliament Thursday where he refused to confirm the originality of the letters.
“I have checked with all the files at the ministry It seems I cannot locate them,” Nhema told parliament’s committee on youth and indigenisation.
“I have even asked officials whether the letters are there. The problem is that there is no reference, no date stamp to authenticate the letters. I have checked with many files I don’t know if they are there.”
Nhema added, upon further questioning, “I can’t say that there are not authentic but I have not seen any of the said letters. I tried to ask the (ministry) officials but no one knows about them.”
Nhema said there was, infact, no written commitment to the pledges by the firms but there was a “gentlemen understanding” the miners would stretch up to $10 million each.
“There was a meeting that was held between my predecessor and the mining firms where the issue of setting up community share ownership trust was discussed,” he said.
“During this meeting on 13 June 2012, the company representatives were urged to start disbursing money the CSOT with $10 million being the baseline for each company.
“But there was no written agreement on that Mr Chairperson, it was a gentlemen agreement based on mutual respect and understanding of the law.”
His statement did not go down well with the Mayor Wadyajena chaired committee which quizzed the minister “since when did government start operating on gentlemen’s agreement with private companies”.
“Yes I understand your concern, but I think it is time people begun to have trust and respect against each,” Nhema said.
“You are a businessman and you understand that at times you can make a gentlemen’s agreement.”
Among the firms digging for diamonds in Marange, Mbada Diamonds, Marange Resources, Anjin Investments, Jinan and Diamond Mining Company,
COMMENTS
Treasonous malcontents. looters ,liars, murderers.
This man is a genius.
who really owns these companies! Its the thieving Mugabe and his kleptocratic wife grace. That is where the problem is. As long as you do not lynch the two then the country will continue to slip into the abyss. Mnangagwa is the biggest accomplice of them all. So my advice is grab these three, mob fashion and lynch them and sanity returns to the nation.
God still sits and will always sit on the throne.
So does Mugabe, but it doesn’t do much good.
Seriously, why do you describe God in terms of an absolute monarchy ? Isn’t this kind of metaphor a bit outdated ?
Ah yes, GENTLEMEN”S agreement….chaps you need two gentlemen for that to work.
LOOTOCRACY.
Ten million each is but mere peanuts compared to what these diamond companies have looted at Chiadzwa courtesy Mugabe and his brus of thieves under his personal protection.Sanity will only return once either ACR or De Beers return to develop their mining titles which were unfairly seized from them by government,not on behalf of the people but for Mugabes personal gain and ZANU slush funding on his instruction.