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Mr Magosvongwe

Zvamaida Murwira: Senior Reporter—
Secretary for Youth Development, Indigenisation and Economic Empowerment Mr George Magosvongwe yesterday said he had no knowledge of 100 000 litres of fuel said to have been donated to the Zimbabwe Youth Council by the Zimbabwe Manpower Development Fund (Zimdef).

Higher and Tertiary Education, Science and Technology Development Minister Professor Jonathan Moyo, who is in the eye of a graft probe, claimed in a Twitter post that he donated 100 000 litres of fuel bought using Zimdef funds to the Zimbabwe Youth Council.

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Testifying before the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Youth, Indigenisation and Economic Empowerment chaired by Gokwe-Nembudziya legislator Cde Justice Mayor Wadyajena (zanu-pf), Mr Magosvongwe said as the accounting officer of the ministry, he was not made aware of such a donation.

This comes as it also emerged that Parliament rejected a bid by ZYC executive director Mr Livingstone Dzikira to have Cde Wadyajena recuse himself from the inquiry arguing that he was a member of zanu-pf Youth League, the supposed beneficiary of the fuel.

Mr Dzikira now risks being charged with contempt of Parliament for failing to attend Parliament to give evidence. In yesterday’s hearing, Mr Magosvongwe said while ZYC was a semi-autonomous body, it was supposed to appraise him of any donations and account for them.

“We have an executive director appointed in terms of the ZYC Act. That executive director is a sub-accounting officer at their level and because he is sub-accounting officer, it means I am an accounting officer of ZYC and to that extent, when they undertake their programmes they are supposed to advise us,” said Mr Magosvongwe, while fielding a barrage of questions from Cde Wadyajena.

Asked if he was aware of any donation made, Mr Magosvongwe said: “To the extent that a disclosure has been made, I will be aware. They are supposed to account for the resources that are at their disposal. If they get funding, they are supposed to disclose how they would have used it. At the end of the day, I am the accounting officer. If they receive any other donation I expect it to be accounted for. Under my tenure, I am not aware of any donation that might have come from Zimdef. I might have to check with my colleagues.”

Asked if Zimdef had made donations to other entities like vocational training centres, Mr Magosvonge said: “Not on my record, sir.” Parliament said it saw no legal basis to have Cde Wadyajena recuse himself as requested by Mr Dzikira.

“There is no legal basis for requesting Hon Wadyajena to be recused from presiding over the inquiry by the committee. He is chairing the meeting in his capacity as the chairperson of a portfolio committee of Parliament which is constitutionally-mandated to exercise oversight over the Executive, in particular the Ministry of Youth and all bodies that falls under it. He is exercising his role in terms of Section 119 of the Constitution and not as a member of the Zanu-PF Youth League,” wrote counsel to Parliament, Ms Gladys Pise in an advisory opinion to Clerk of Parliament Mr Kennedy Chokuda.

In his letter, Mr Dzikira wrote: “We kindly request that the chairperson of this Committee be recused from presiding over this meeting as we feel that he is an interested party and is conflicted. This request comes after the realisation that among items to be discussed on the agenda, is the submission of a detailed report on the 100 000 litres of fuel that the Youth Council received from Zimdef on behalf of Zanu-PF Youth League. It is to this end that we seek the recusal of Hon Wadyajena as he is a member of Zanu-PF Youth League which received this fuel. We are of the opinion that the Chair might be conflicted on this matter.”

The calling of ZYC is expected to culminate in the invitation of Higher and Tertiary Education Science and Technology Development Minister Professor Jonathan Moyo and his deputy Dr Godfrey Gandawa who allegedly siphoned about $450 000 from Zimdef.

The Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission has also indicated that the 100 000 litres of fuel reported to have channelled towards Zanu-PF Youth might not have reached to its intended destination as it could have found its way into the black-market.