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Charles Kuwaza

Zvamaida Murwira Senior Reporter
Speaker of the National Assembly Advocate Jacob Mudenda yesterday set up a Privileges Committee to look into allegations that former State Procurement Board chairperson Mr Charles Kuwaza (pictured) might be in contempt of Parliament following remarks by the Portfolio Committee on Mines and Energy when he was invited to appear before the committee last year.

Setting up of the seven-member committee came after a committee chaired by Gutu Central MP Cde Lovemore Matuke (Zanu-PF), submitted to the National Assembly that Mr Kuwaza could have been in breach of the Privileges, Immunities and Powers of Parliament Act after failing to provide them with requested information.

Adv Mudenda ruled that there were reasonable grounds to suspect that he might have been in contempt of Parliament, paving way for the setting up of the committee.

The committee will be chaired by Mazowe West MP Cde Kazembe Kazembe.

Other members of the committee are Mazowe South MP Cde Fortune Chasi, Manicaland MP Cde Christopher Mutsvangwa and Dr Daniel Shumba (all from Zanu-PF.). Others are Kuwadzana East MP Mr Nelson Chamisa, Harare West MP Ms Jessie Majome (both MDC-T) and Bulawayo Metropolitan MP Ms Jasmine Toffa (MDC).

The committee is expected to gather evidence and compile a report to be tabled before Parliament for debate and possible adoption.

The committee wanted Mr Kuwaza to answer questions regarding the tendering system on projects in the electricity sector, specifically under Zesa Holdings’ Zimbabwe Power Company and the Zimbabwe Electricity Transmission and Distribution Company.

Mr Kuwaza did provide a detailed written response as requested by the committee despite constant deferment of the hearing, something that irked legislators.

At one stage, Mr Kuwaza called for order during the hearing implying the legislators were behaving in a disorderly manner.

In his ruling, Adv Mudenda said it was apparent that Mr Kuwaza refused to be examined before or to answer lawful and relevant questions put to him by the committee.

It was ruled that he prevaricated as a witness before the committee and thus could be in direct violation of the law.

When asked to respond orally to questions that were raised in the letter sent to him, Mr Kuwaza indicated he had sent an e-mail to the Clerk of Parliament, Mr Kennedy Chokuda, dealing with only one issue of the mandate of the SPB.

Mr Kuwaza could not provide proof of the e-mails.