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Zvamaida Murwira Senior Reporter
LEGISLATORS Mr Temba Mliswa and Cde Dexter Nduna will no longer chair parliamentary portfolio committees after they were stripped of the honour last Thursday.

They almost fought in the chamber last month.

Mr Mliswa is legislator for Norton while Cde Nduna represents Chegutu West on a Zanu-PF ticket.

Speaker of the National Assembly Advocate Jacob Mudenda told legislators that Mr Mliswa had been removed as chairperson for the Portfolio committee on Mines and Mining Development, while Cde Nduna was no longer chairperson of the Transport and Infrastructural Development committee.

Mr Mliswa presided over the Mines and Mining Development Committee until last month when the committee was dissolved owing to bad blood among members.

This followed allegations that Mr Mliswa and three others had solicited for a $400 000 bribe from a local businessman in return for facilitation of a contract at Hwange Colliery mine.

Cde Nduna and Mr Mliswa almost fought during a committee sitting.

They also argued in the chamber and traded accusations in a manner that undermined the integrity of the August House.

Adv Mudenda on Thursday announced the changes for the portfolio committees of Mines and Mining Development and that of Transport and Infrastructural Development.

“I would like to inform the House that all members of the dissolved Mines and Mining Development committee have been re-appointed to the same committee except Hon Temba Mliswa and Hon Nduna. For the avoidance of doubt, the following are the Members of the Portfolio Committee on Mines and Mining Development . . . The newly constituted Committee shall be chaired by Hon (Edmond) Mkaratigwa (Shurungwi South constituency Zanu-PF),” said Adv Mudenda.

“I also wish to inform the House that Hon Oscar Gorerino (Shamva North) has been appointed chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Transport and Infrastructural Development. The Committee membership remains unchanged except that of Hon Dexter Nduna is no longer a member of that Portfolio committee.”

Cde Nduna

The duo apologised to Advocate Mudenda early this month for their disorderly conduct.

In their apology in the National Assembly, they admitted their conduct was not consistent with the decorum of Parliament.

During their altercation, Mr Mliswa implicated Adv Mudenda when he accused Cde Nduna of abusing funds for Zimbabwe National Roads Administration.

Parliament’s Standing Rules and Orders Committee has since constituted a Privileges Committee chaired by Chiefs Council president Chief Fortune Charumbira to look into the allegations that Mr Mliswa and three other legislators had demanded bribe.

Parliament has since extended time for the Charumbira led committee to carry out its investigations.

It was supposed to release its report end of this month but will now do so in May.