Kasukuwere, Zanu PF MP spat worsens

via Kasukuwere, Zanu PF MP spat worsens 29/04/2014 NewZimbabwe

THE beef between Zanu PF lawmakers Justice Wadyajena and ex-indigenisation minister Saviour Kasukuwere worsened Tuesday with the former daring his senior party colleague to “come get me” if he insists on settling scores with him.

Wadyajena, who chairs parliament’s Youth and Indigenisation committee, has been vocal in his oversight role regarding the controversial management of youth funds and operations around government’s community share ownership schemes.

In discharging his duties, Wadyajena has stepped on Kasukuwere’s toes, with the environment minister feeling uneasy over the rookie MP’s apparent attempts to expose his shortcomings when he was still in charge of the youth ministry.

It was during the Wadyajena-chaired committee meetings that Kasukuwere’s “lies” around the controversial Marange-Zimunya share ownership debacle have been exposed.

Miffed by the young MP’s apparent attempts to drag his name through the mire, Kasukuwere allegedly threatened Wadyajena with unspecified action promising to “destroy him politically, economically and socially”.

The Gokwe-Nembudziya MP has since approached the Parliament’s Speaker seeking protection from the former intelligence operative.

A defiant WadyajenaTuesday said he will not be deterred by the threats and was leaving the matter in the hands of Speaker, Jacob Mudenda, praising him for “doing his job professionally”.

“I was elected by the people and I represent them. I will continue doing my work without being deterred by anyone. I have no personal grudges with anyone and will not hate one,” Wadyajena said.

In a letter addressed to Mudenda early April, Wadyajena said he was threatened by Kasukuwere in front of assembly colleagues for “merely seeking to understand Zimbabwe’s economic empowerment programme”, in line with his oversight role.

“As I was entering Parliament… (on) 26 March 2014, I met Minister Kasukuwere by the door… I greeted him politely in deference to his seniority as a member of the politburo and the executive,” Wadyajena said, adding, “instead of responding”, the former “started shouting, chiding and lampooning me”.

“Throughout all this, he alleged that my portfolio committee was useless, I was attacking members of his family, especially his young brother (Tongai) and that I was on a witch-hunt against him,” Wadyajena said.

Information from parliament reveals that the chief whip, Jorum Gumbo together with the leader of government business in the house, Justice Minister Emmerson Mnangagwa will soon summon Kasukuwere to respond to the issues raised by Wadyajena.

Wadyajena’s committee has inadvertently exposed the dubious or shoddy nature of the Kasukuwere’s agreements with various diamond miners.

Despite claims by Kasukuwere and a few others that the Marange “deals” were watertight and legitimate, diamond mining firms in Marange – led by Mbada and Anjin Investments – have disputed claims that they pledged $10 million each towards government’s community ownership scheme.

To add salt to injury, the Mount Darwin South legislator’s Cabinet colleague and Indigenisation ministry successor, Francis Nhema has told Parliament that these “were only gentlemen’s agreements” between the Kasukuwere and the gem miners.