via ‘Make ruling on Kasukuwere contempt of Parly charges’ – NewsDay Zimbabwe November 20, 2015
MABVUKU-TAFARA MP James Maridadi has urged Speaker of the National Assembly Jacob Mudenda to urgently make a ruling over an issue where a Parliament committee is seeking to charge Local Government minister Saviour Kasukuwere with contempt of Parliament.
by VENERANDA LANGA
In July, the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Youth, Indigenisation and Economic Empowerment, chaired by Gokwe-Nembudziya legislator, Justice Mayor Wadyajena, raised a matter of privileges, asking the House to charge Kasukuwere with contempt of Parliament.
This was after Kasukuwere had appeared before the committee to answer on mining companies in Marange failing to capitalise the Zimunya Marange Community Share Ownership Trust (CSOT).
When Kasukuwere appeared before the committee, he exchanged harsh words with Wadyajena, and even alleged that he had recordings of Wadyajena plotting to fight him.
Mudenda had promised to make a ruling as to whether there was a prima facie case to charge Kasukuwere with contempt of Parliament, but four months down the line, he still has not made a ruling.
Maridadi then raised the issue as a point of order to the Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly Mabel Chinomona.
“There is a ruling that the Speaker [Mudenda] promised to make over contempt of Parliament charges on Kasukuwere, which were raised by Wadyajena,” he said.
“When we were in Victoria Fall, during the pre-budget seminar, we witnessed infighting between Wadyajena and Youth Minister Patrick Zhuwao over the issue, and we need to know the results .”
But, Chinomona did not entertain Maridadi’s point of order, as it was raised in the middle of the question and answer session.
Kasukuwere was the Youth minister when mining companies in Marange were said to have pledged $50 million to capitalise the Zimunya Marange CSOT. This was not done and in 2013 President Robert Mugabe was made to present a $1,5 million cheque to Zimunya Marange CSOT, yet only $400 000 was paid, with the remainder still outstanding.
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