via Mliswa demands probe on Joshua Nkomo statue construction March 6, 2014 by Veneranda Langa NewsDay
ZANU PF Hurungwe West MP Temba Mliswa on Tuesday demanded a probe into how construction of the Joshua Nkomo statue ended up being carried out by a North Korean company when the tender had been awarded to a local sculptor David Mutasa.
Mliswa said this while debating a motion on corruption which was introduced last week by MDC-T Kambuzuma MP WilliasMadzimure where he suggested it was high time tenders involving large sums of money went through Parliament.
Madzimure’s motion was aimed at ensuring Parliamentary committees were capacitated and strengthened to carry out oversight roles and enforce good corporate governance.
Mliswa said there was rampant corruption in the awarding of tenders by the State Procurement Board and proposed that tenders worth more than $5 million be subjected to parliamentary scrutiny.
“I must say Mr Speaker on a sad note that the statue of our late Vice-President Joshua Nkomo which is in Bulawayo right now was made through a tender which was won by a Zimbabwean David Mutasa, but it was then given to the North Koreans to do that sculpture,” Mliswa said.
“How sad is it that a Zimbabwean wins a tender to actually do a sculpture of UbabaWethu Joshua Nkomo, but we still allow the North Koreans to go and do the sculpture for us?”
Mliswa said favouring the North Koreans with the Nkomo statue tender was against the spirit of patriotism.
“We have our own Zimbabweans who are able. We should promote our own culture and we should promote our own arts, but we are supporting the arts of the North Koreans at the end of the day. It is very sad that UbabaWethu sculpture was made by the North Koreans yet there are Zimbabweans who won the tender, and who could have done that,” he said.
The statue was erected at the centre of the intersection of JM Nkomo Street and 8th Avenue in Bulawayo, and was officially unveiled by President Robert Mugabe on Unity Day, December 22, 2013.
Bulawayo-based civic society groups protested at the initial erection of the statue in 2010 after it emerged that it had been built by North Koreans.
North Korea-trained members of the notorious Fifth Brigade accused of killing more than 20 000 civilians in Matabeleland and some parts of Midlands during the Gukurahundi era in the early 1980s.
COMMENTS
When is everyone going to realize that Zim has a king and his court, and Parly is irrelevant…… thanks to ZANUPF.
Wake up, and smell the corruption..!
Temba Mliswa is one of the most corrupt youngsters ever. I hate the saying the pot calling the kettle black because I am black and I think there is nothing wrong with being black. This is more like the hyena calling the Jackal greedy. He has used his political influence from his elder relatives to steal and cheat. In my book he is just another crook that’s got it coming to him. He forgets he is well documented. Should of stuck to his rugby.
Agreed he is a thug…never did anything for rugby either!!!
Absolutely correct Temba Mliswa.
David Mutasa, young brother to Didymas is Themba Mliswa’s uncle.
He is a crook.he is just politicking to improve his profile. He knows Bob and the junta gave the order and know one can do anything about it. Moreover, its water under the bridge,finished.
THAT THING MUGABE AND CO NEVER RESPECTED NKOMO . The last humiliation was to have the statue done by the North Koreans. If it was me I would tear down that humiliation of a relic to my people. Pasi ne Zanu
Agreed! The final insult! It must be replaced.
This man is not genuine. David Mutasa is his Uncle, a brother to Martin Mutasa. Martin and Mliswa were co-accused of stealing property from some white farmers abusing Pres Mugabe’s name.
Well done Themba. Keep it up our man. I love it when you bravely tackle the likes of Mdudla. Many people are taking note of your genuine effort to expose the rot where ever it is. To millions you are very genuine. Those who are silent about ministers acquiring massive wealth will be quick to say you are worse than this one or that one. Just stick to the truth. It hurts. Some would love to have said it themselves but they do not have the language or they are first class opportunists who are now busy looking for food, beer women or men. Others are just cowards. Go on Themba. Phambili lo Themba Mliswa. Phansi lobuhuquluzi!
As I said Just another crook.
Well said Themba, and BUZER WA KUMUZI, the truth must told , we are capable to do things in Zim and abroad, we doing it in SA! Remember we had brave and talented brothers the likes of BARNABAS SIBANDA who built helicopter from no way, the knows all saw it as tret
We all know that Mugabe treated The late Joshua Nkomo badly before the so called unity accord. The people in the Matebeleland province made it clear they were against any statue that was made in North Korea. Statues are put up and can be taken down. The people of the region will act accordingly when they are able. No matter what Temba has to say about anything in the Zanu pf set up he has been part and parcel of the looting. No one is saying he is not right. What I am saying is that no matter what he says he was in Zanu long enough to have brought up his concerns if they are genuine. He threatened, intimidated and put fear into the hearts of his fellow countrymen. The snake continues to bite itself.
Lest we forget
Temba Mliswa appeared in court Wednesday on two new charges of allegedly swindling white former commercial farmers of cattle and equipment worth over US$24 million. The new charges arose as police are reportedly preparing dockets for at least 40 new cases against the farmer and businessman.
Police confirmed that Mliswa (38) is facing several criminal charges. On Wednesday he was not formally charged when he appeared before Harare magistrate Don Ndirowei, who remanded him in custody to today for bail ruling.
The new charges come barely three days after Mliswa, Martin Mutasa (47), the son of Presidential Affairs Minister Didymus Mutasa, and George Marere (36) were released from remand prison. The trio was arrested last week for allegedly seizing shares worth US$1 million in a local company and spent the weekend in custody.
Police Commissioner Augustine Chihuri is thought to have a vested interest in the company that was seized by Mliswa and his colleagues and the police chief is thought to be behind instructions ‘to teach him a lesson.’
In the latest case prosecutor Mrs Phyllis Zvenyika in opposing bail, led evidence from Superintendent Frank Muchengwa who said investigations were in their infancy and Mliswa should thus not be freed because he could interfere with witnesses. He said police were preparing dockets for at least 40 new cases against him.
Mliswa’s lawyer, Charles Chinyama, queried why the alleged new cases took long to be reported. Supt Muchengwa responded that Mliswa had intimidated police and because he was “untouchable”. Mr Chinyama, however, submitted that his client was suitable for bail as he had turned himself to the police.
On the first count, Mliswa allegedly misrepresented to Petros Jacobus van der Merwe, formerly of Orlib Park Lot 1 in Karoi, that he could help him sell his agri-equipment without State interference for a 10 percent commission. Mliswa allegedly sold the property but did not surrender any money to Van der Merwe.
He also allegedly took 108 cattle, three heavy vehicles, a coldroom, three tractors, a drowsy hammer, irrigation equipment, generators and other items all valued at US$3 644 058.
On the second count, Mliswa is accused of lying to Graham George Davis van Rensburg of Kwekwe — whose farm had been acquired for resettlement — that he could protect his equipment from being seized by the new owner. He allegedly induced the farmer to lie that he had an agreement with Mliswa for sale of the equipment and hence it could not be sold.
However, Mliswa allegedly took 3 000 cattle worth US$900 000 and farm equipment including bulldozers, tractors, lorries, graders and pick-up trucks all valued at US$20 million. Van Rensburg later realised that he had been duped after Mliswa claimed ownership of the property.
The sad part is he got clean away with it.
Shut up Temba. Next we will uncover that the North Koreans were sub-contructed by your uncle as he was busy looting around anything belonging to whites. It won’t surprise Zimbabweans to discover that you were also involved.
There was great zimbabwe with its sculptures.
Then there was the blossoming of sculpture through the national gallery of zimbabwe and tengenenge art community.
Our artists are korean famous and more creative than north korean artists.
why did people get nkomo’s sculpture made by koreans instead of zimbabwe artists? at least a partnership.