News / Local
'Wadyajena pushed business interests through Parly'
18 Jun 2022 at 02:30hrs | Views
THE Grain Millers Association of Zimbabwe (GMAZ) has accused Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Lands and Agriculture chairperson Justice Mayor Wadyajena of abusing his position to grab its grain and inputs transportation deal.
GMAZ made the claims in its application filed at the Harare High Court on Tuesday seeking a review of the committee's inquiry proceedings.
The association said they were ambushed by the committee, adding their chairperson Tafadzwa Musarara was being bullied by Wadyajena, a Zanu-PF legislator.
"The applicants apply in terms of the provisions of the High Court Act Chapter 7:06 as read with the provisions of the Administrative Justice Act Chapter 10:28 and the common law for the review of the proceedings relating to the funds distributed by the 6th respondent (RBZ) to the 1st applicant (GMAZ) for procurement of wheat…" the application read in part.
In the application, GMAZ, Drotsky (Pvt) Limited and Musarara were the applicants.
They cited the parliamentary committee, its chairperson Wadyajena, Parliament of Zimbabwe, Speaker of Parliament Jacob Mudenda, Clerk of Parliament, Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe and Minister of Finance Mthuli Ncube as respondents, respectively.
GMAZ noted that while the law allows the committee to order any person to appear before it, the same law does not permit its chair to prepare and adopt reports.
"Second respondent (Wadyajena) is an interested party in the proceedings in that he operates a fleet of trucks which he owns under the company called Mayor Logistics. This company was awarded contracts to ferry agricultural inputs, grain, cotton and other crops on behalf of the government," GMAZ submitted.
The association indicated that Wadyajena failed to declare his interests in the matter, but went on to preside over the inquiry despite him being conflicted.
"The result of the failure by 2nd respondent to declare that he is conflicted is that he presided over a committee that has oversight over the grain value chain business in which he is an interested party benefiting through his company Mayor Logistics, which is a clear breach of the Administrative Justice," GMAZ submitted.
"The 2nd respondent displayed he had nefarious motives calculated to harass, embarrass and portray 1st applicant (GMAZ) in bad light by passing gratuitous and sarcastic comments against the applicant on social media at the time when the proceedings were pending or ongoing under his chairmanship."
GMAZ appealed to the court to set aside the committee's findings.
In his founding affidavit, Musarara said Wadyajena's conduct during the proceedings were reckless and unprofessional
"The reckless and unprofessional conduct of 2nd respondent manifested itself in relation to a separate enquiry in respect of funding by the 1st applicant (GIMAZ) to the Grain Marketing Board. 1st applicant wrote a letter of complaint against 2nd respondent to 5th respondent on the conduct of (Wadyajena) that he was on witch hunt against 1st applicant," he submitted.
GMAZ made the claims in its application filed at the Harare High Court on Tuesday seeking a review of the committee's inquiry proceedings.
The association said they were ambushed by the committee, adding their chairperson Tafadzwa Musarara was being bullied by Wadyajena, a Zanu-PF legislator.
"The applicants apply in terms of the provisions of the High Court Act Chapter 7:06 as read with the provisions of the Administrative Justice Act Chapter 10:28 and the common law for the review of the proceedings relating to the funds distributed by the 6th respondent (RBZ) to the 1st applicant (GMAZ) for procurement of wheat…" the application read in part.
In the application, GMAZ, Drotsky (Pvt) Limited and Musarara were the applicants.
They cited the parliamentary committee, its chairperson Wadyajena, Parliament of Zimbabwe, Speaker of Parliament Jacob Mudenda, Clerk of Parliament, Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe and Minister of Finance Mthuli Ncube as respondents, respectively.
GMAZ noted that while the law allows the committee to order any person to appear before it, the same law does not permit its chair to prepare and adopt reports.
"Second respondent (Wadyajena) is an interested party in the proceedings in that he operates a fleet of trucks which he owns under the company called Mayor Logistics. This company was awarded contracts to ferry agricultural inputs, grain, cotton and other crops on behalf of the government," GMAZ submitted.
The association indicated that Wadyajena failed to declare his interests in the matter, but went on to preside over the inquiry despite him being conflicted.
"The result of the failure by 2nd respondent to declare that he is conflicted is that he presided over a committee that has oversight over the grain value chain business in which he is an interested party benefiting through his company Mayor Logistics, which is a clear breach of the Administrative Justice," GMAZ submitted.
"The 2nd respondent displayed he had nefarious motives calculated to harass, embarrass and portray 1st applicant (GMAZ) in bad light by passing gratuitous and sarcastic comments against the applicant on social media at the time when the proceedings were pending or ongoing under his chairmanship."
GMAZ appealed to the court to set aside the committee's findings.
In his founding affidavit, Musarara said Wadyajena's conduct during the proceedings were reckless and unprofessional
"The reckless and unprofessional conduct of 2nd respondent manifested itself in relation to a separate enquiry in respect of funding by the 1st applicant (GIMAZ) to the Grain Marketing Board. 1st applicant wrote a letter of complaint against 2nd respondent to 5th respondent on the conduct of (Wadyajena) that he was on witch hunt against 1st applicant," he submitted.
Source - newsday
