Mugabe erred — Mohadi

via Mugabe erred — Mohadi – NewsDay Zimbabwe July 23, 2014 by Veneranda Langa

HOME Affairs minister Kembo Mohadi yesterday told Parliament that he has reversed the re-appointment of commissioners of the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (Zacc) after realising that President Robert Mugabe had breached the Constitution when he extended their term of office in May this year.

Mohadi ordered the current Zacc commissioners to cease purporting to act on behalf of the anti-graft body until Parliament has invited fresh nominations.

Mohadi’s announcement comes amid claims by MPs that Zacc commissioners were still drawing salaries and allowances and had incurred a $500 000 debt in vehicle hire for their own private errands.

“When the new Constitution was ushered in last year, Zacc commissioners were still in office and later their terms expired and it meant that the new Constitution was now the supreme law and in review of the terms of office of Zacc commissioners the new Constitution had to be followed,” Mohadi said.

“We re-appointed the commissioners to do the work, but however, upon re-examination it was realised that their re-appointment was unconstitutional and hence the directive ordering commissioners not to undertake work until finalisation by Parliament which said it will advertise posts for commissioners,” he said.

The nine Zacc commissioners who were nominated by the former Government of National Unity (GNU) along partisan lines, were told to resume duties in a memo dated May 29 2014 signed by the commission chairperson Denford Chirindo.

The general notice 29/05/14, titled Resumption of duty by commissioners reads: “Please be advised that the Secretary for Home Affairs [the accounting officer] has advised that the commissioners whose term of office expired in August 2013 should come back to work with immediate effect so that they continue to function until a new commission has been set up by his Excellency the President.”

Zanu PF Buhera South legislator Joseph Chinotimba yesterday set the debate in motion when he claimed that Zacc commissioners were still getting salaries.

“Does the minister know that they are still getting salaries and are still hiring vehicles for private use? Last week it was said they incurred a $500 000 debt after hiring vehicles. They are purporting to deal with corruption when they are corrupt themselves,” Chinotimba said.

However, Mohadi said he was not responsible for payment of their allowances since they were an independent body.

Kuwadzana East MP Nelson Chamisa (MDC-T) asked Mohadi to assure the nation that the decision to suspend Zacc operations was not a ploy to hide corrupt activities involving the Executive.

Said Chamisa: “Considering last time when they were in office Zacc had problems entering Saviour Kasukuwere’s [Environment, Water and Climate minister] premises — can you assure the nation that this is not a ploy by the Executive to switch off the lights so that the corruption bacteria may thrive?”

Kambuzuma MP Willias Madzimure (MDC-T) also quizzed Mohadi to explain why Zacc officials failed to table reports of their activities in Parliament before their term of office expired.

Priscilla Misihairabwi-Mushonga (MDC) asked Mohadi to clarify whether the President’s Office had informed the Zacc commissioners that their re-appointment was unconstitutional, while Mbizo MP Settlement Chikwinya (MDC-T) wanted to know which body would deal with corruption cases between now and when a new anti-graft body is appointed.

Mohadi said it was difficult to say what would happen in the interim, adding that it was now the duty of Parliament’s Standing Rules and Orders Committee to invite nominations for new commissioners. He said Zacc reports would be tabled before Parliament when they were ready by new commissioners.

Speaker of the National Assembly Jacob Mudenda assured the House that nominations for new commissioners would be done soon.