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Dzikamai Mavhaire

Felex Share Herald Reporter
CORPORATE governance experts yesterday described Energy and Power Development Minister Dzikamai Mavhaire as inept after he said he was not privy to every development in his Ministry.

Minister Mavhaire yesterday tried to pass the buck in the case in which he and his deputy Engineer Munacho Mutezo are being accused of coercing Zesa Holdings to deposit US$40 000 in the Zanu-PF Manicaland Women’s League account to fund factional activities in July this year.

The funds were aimed at funding Vice President Joice Mujuru’s bid to topple President Mugabe as well as for vote buying as the donation came just before the main Women’s League Conference in August.

Minister Mavhaire said it was clear the Eng Mutezo had given the instruction behind his back.

“Ndirikunyorwa panyaya yeUS$40 000 yandisina kuita,” he said. “You can only accuse me of not knowing what was happening. I did not about know it and I only read about that in your paper. You want my head in the plate and you are trying whatever means to tarnish my image.”

Minister Mavhaire added: “Look for an actual offence that I have committed. Iyi yamuri kundipomera iyi haisi yechokwadi.

“The only donation I am aware is that went towards Congress and I confirm that I was informed about that one.” Zesa chief executive officer Engineer Josh Chifamba yesterday confirmed the directive had come from Eng Mutezo, whom Zimbabweans said should be arrested along with his boss for abusing public funds.

Analysts said the development showed that Minister Mavhaire was “sleeping on duty”. Corporate governance and legal expert, Mr Edwin Manikai of Dube, Manikai and Hwacha Commercial Law Chambers said it was strange that a Minister would not know the goings-on in a portfolio he or she superintends.

As such, he said, it showed maladroitness on the part of Minister Mavhaire.

“His response is not adequate,” Mr Manikai said. “The Minister and his accounting officer, who happens to be the permanent secretary, should be aware of everything that happens in the parastatals they oversee for them to be able to supervise. It would be strange if he is not able to comment about parastatals that fall under him.”

Mr Manikai said Minister Mavhaire should not get away with such ineptitude.

“The deputy Minister has no authority independent of the Minister,” Mr Manikai said. “The authority lies solely with the Minister, who was appointed by the President and the deputy cannot generate authority. If that is what they have been doing then it shows qualities of ineptness and it is unconstitutional.”

Eng Mutezo, who provided the bank account to Zesa Holdings, yesterday said: “I have no comment to make.”

Zimbabweans have since called for the arrest of the duo for abusing public funds.

Another corporate governance expert close to the goings-on in Zesa said Minister Mavhaire had shown ineffectiveness as it was evident Eng Mutezo was “running rings around him. How can a normal Minister allow his deputy to give written directives? It shows you don’t deserve to be there because one day you would wake up to find the Ministry gone.

“The Minister is just being disingenuous in his attempted denial. He arm-twisted management through job firing threats to swindle public funds from a bleeding state-owned enterprise,” the expert, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said.

Said political analyst and war veterans leader, Ambassador Christopher Mutsvangwa: “He is deep in the pits of the slush scandal in complicity with Mutezo, another faction sidekick.

“Peddling corporate influence for the overthrow of President Mugabe and regime change of Zanu-PF had been the central tenet of his political engagement. This is true to his nefarious character.”