News / National
Mayhem in Parliament over fired NRZ board chair Alvord Mabhena
25 Nov 2015 at 13:47hrs | Views
Parliament's questions without notice were today disrupted for about 20 minutes by opposition MPs when MDC-T deputy chief whip Dorcas Sibanda asked Transport deputy minister Michael Madanha to explain circumstances leading to the firing of Alvord Mabhena as National Railways of Zimbabwe chairman.
Mabhena was recently fired as NRZ board chairman by the newly-appointed Transport minister Jorum Gumbo, 17 months into the job. Gumbo on Wednesday denied sacking Mabhena, but the ex-general manager of the parastatal last week confirmed receiving his letter of dismissal. His term of office was set to expire in 2017.
Madanha angered opposition MPs when he responded by saying his ministry was empowered by the law to appoint or dis-appoint board members, for example, for lack of qualifications.
"What is special about Mabhena?" he asked. The statement immediately drew the ire of opposition, MPs who said Mabhena was a respected person.
Leader of the opposition in the House, Thokozani Khupe, demanded that Madanha withdraws the statement, but he refused, causing MDC-T MPs to disrupt proceedings, shouting and insisting that he must withdraw the statement.
He said, "I am sorry, I have nothing to withdraw. You can put your questions in writing so that I give you reasons why he was fired."
Buhera South MP Joseph Chinotimba (Zanu PF) then raised a point of order with Deputy Speaker Mabel Chinomona, saying it surprised him that the MDC-T legislators were making an issue over Mabhena, yet more than 40 000 people were fired, but they did not make such noise.
The chaos went through for well over 20 minutes.
When Mabhena was fired NRZ board vice chairperson, Brigadier David Chiweza was appointed acting chairperson.
Mabhena said he was fired out of the blue.
"I received a letter from the minister out of the blue informing me that my services have been terminated with immediate effect. It's not clear why they have decided to do so.
"I'm disappointed because of these stop-start things. Naturally, I have been working with a passion and putting a lot of effort in trying to revive the NRZ. I worked hard not only to serve the NRZ, but the nation" he told the media.
A Bulawayo based pressure group, Ibhetshu LikaZulu, described Mabhena's dismissal by newly-appointed Transport minister Jorum Gumbo as tribal.
Mbuso Fuzwayo, the spokesperson for Ibhetshu LikaZulu, said the "plot" to kick out Mabhena from the ailing NRZ was motivated by ethnic agendas aimed at getting rid of anyone from Matabeleland from positions of authority.
Fuzwayo's remarks come at a time when there is confusion on whether Mabhena had been axed out or not.
"Mabhena's case is a very sad one, which people here must not celebrate," he said.
"If it is true that he been dismissed, why are we not being told the offence he has committed? This shows that there is tribalism at play and we must not allow our people here to be treated willy nilly by this government."
Fuzwayo said tribalism and nepotism were taking their toll on people from Matabeleland considering the fact that most high-ranking positions in the region were now being given to people from and outside the area.
Mabhena was recently fired as NRZ board chairman by the newly-appointed Transport minister Jorum Gumbo, 17 months into the job. Gumbo on Wednesday denied sacking Mabhena, but the ex-general manager of the parastatal last week confirmed receiving his letter of dismissal. His term of office was set to expire in 2017.
Madanha angered opposition MPs when he responded by saying his ministry was empowered by the law to appoint or dis-appoint board members, for example, for lack of qualifications.
"What is special about Mabhena?" he asked. The statement immediately drew the ire of opposition, MPs who said Mabhena was a respected person.
Leader of the opposition in the House, Thokozani Khupe, demanded that Madanha withdraws the statement, but he refused, causing MDC-T MPs to disrupt proceedings, shouting and insisting that he must withdraw the statement.
He said, "I am sorry, I have nothing to withdraw. You can put your questions in writing so that I give you reasons why he was fired."
Buhera South MP Joseph Chinotimba (Zanu PF) then raised a point of order with Deputy Speaker Mabel Chinomona, saying it surprised him that the MDC-T legislators were making an issue over Mabhena, yet more than 40 000 people were fired, but they did not make such noise.
The chaos went through for well over 20 minutes.
When Mabhena was fired NRZ board vice chairperson, Brigadier David Chiweza was appointed acting chairperson.
"I received a letter from the minister out of the blue informing me that my services have been terminated with immediate effect. It's not clear why they have decided to do so.
"I'm disappointed because of these stop-start things. Naturally, I have been working with a passion and putting a lot of effort in trying to revive the NRZ. I worked hard not only to serve the NRZ, but the nation" he told the media.
A Bulawayo based pressure group, Ibhetshu LikaZulu, described Mabhena's dismissal by newly-appointed Transport minister Jorum Gumbo as tribal.
Mbuso Fuzwayo, the spokesperson for Ibhetshu LikaZulu, said the "plot" to kick out Mabhena from the ailing NRZ was motivated by ethnic agendas aimed at getting rid of anyone from Matabeleland from positions of authority.
Fuzwayo's remarks come at a time when there is confusion on whether Mabhena had been axed out or not.
"Mabhena's case is a very sad one, which people here must not celebrate," he said.
"If it is true that he been dismissed, why are we not being told the offence he has committed? This shows that there is tribalism at play and we must not allow our people here to be treated willy nilly by this government."
Fuzwayo said tribalism and nepotism were taking their toll on people from Matabeleland considering the fact that most high-ranking positions in the region were now being given to people from and outside the area.
Source - Byo24News
