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Cde Mike Madiro

Senior Reporter
There are three bogus Community Share Ownership Trusts claiming to be under the auspices of Zimunya-Marange that could be soliciting donations from diamond mining companies operating in Chiadzwa outside their mandate, parliamentarians heard last week.National Indigenisation and Economic Empowerment Board regional manager for Manicaland Mr David Garwe told the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Youth, Indigenisation and Economic Empowerment that the bonafide trust was the one under Chief Marange and Chief Zimunya.

Gokwe-Nembudziya MP, Cde Justice Mayor Wadyajena (Zanu-PF), chairs the committee.

“There are indications that there are some people who have been receiving donations from the diamond mining companies I had three trusts that came to me saying they were from Marange, but I told them we only work with this trust (Zimunya-Marange),” said Mr Garwe.

“What is surprising is that they are actually duly registered. They actually have deeds of trust. They belong to other people.”
Marange-Zimunya Trustees and those from Tongogara-Shurugwi also bemoaned interference by some Government and political officials in the running of their work. They claimed the interference frustrated their operations, with those from Marange-Zimunya saying it resulted in diamond mining firms not disbursing the full US$1,5 million they pledged, availing only US$400 000. However, trustees declined to mention names of the culprits who interfere with their operations despite spirited pressure from MPs to disclose the names.

“I don’t know the names of people who are interfering, but what I know is that we had problems since 2010 when Cde (Mike) Madiro (former Manicaland Zanu-PF provincial chairperson) went to Mbada Diamonds where they were given some money and vehicles,” said Chief Zimunya of Marange Community Share Ownership Trust.

“I don’t know who he went with to the mining companies. Why don’t you go and investigate yourselves? There are things that are happening on the ground that are making it difficult for us to operate.”

Cde Wadyajena warned Chief Zimunya that he would be charged with contempt of Parliament for failing to avail information that the committee required.

The trustees were briefly sent out of committee proceedings while committee members consulted on whether or not to charge them with contempt of Parliament. The committee pardoned Chief Zimunya after he apologised, but he implored the MPs to do their own investigations to verify his claims.

Tongogara Community Share Ownership Trust head of delegation Chief Ndanga said some National Indigenisation and Economic Empowerment Board officials in Midlands interfered with their operations.

Chief Ndanga attempted to withdraw his statement after consulting with his colleagues when MPs implored him to mention the authorities. An official of the trustee had earlier mentioned interference as one of the challenges the Trust faced.