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Guvamatanga under fire over circular
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Dzivarasekwa legislator Edwin Mushoriwa has accused Finance Ministry Permanent Secretary George Guvamatanga of unlawfully reversing provisions of the 2026 National Budget through a circular that allegedly "reversed and suspended" parts of the Finance Act.
Raising the matter in Parliament on Tuesday, Mushoriwa said lawmakers had extensively debated and passed both the Finance Bill and the Appropriation Bill, which were subsequently signed into law by President Emmerson Mnangagwa.
"… we burned the midnight oil debating the Finance and the Appropriation Bills in respect to the 2026 National Budget. Those two Bills were passed by this National Assembly, including the Senate, and they were signed into law by the President of Zimbabwe so that it becomes the Finance Act," he said.
"Regrettably, a matter of grave constitutional concern is that the Ministry of Finance, on 14 January 2026, wrote a circular to reverse and suspend what has been passed by this august House and signed by the President."
Mushoriwa argued that under Section 134 of the Constitution, legislative authority is vested exclusively in Parliament and the President, and not in a permanent secretary or any other government official.
"If there was a problem in terms of any provision of the Finance Act, the Constitution has a remedy where the Minister can actually come here," he said.
He further contended that the circular has created uncertainty in the business sector, particularly regarding provisions relating to the definition of minerals, which he said had been supported by the Finance Minister during the legislative process.
"To then have a Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Finance writing to suspend that law without coming to Parliament or without even going to the President… is not fair. I think it brings the name of Parliament and the hard work of Members of Parliament into disrepute. But more importantly, it also violates the Constitution," Mushoriwa said.
He called on Speaker of Parliament Jacob Mudenda to summon Finance Minister Professor Mthuli Ncube to explain the circumstances surrounding the circular.
"I am asking your Chair to ask the Minister of Finance to come to this House to explain why they could do something unconstitutional because the supremacy of Parliament… should always be respected," he added.
Responding to the concerns, Speaker Mudenda said he would look into the matter to address the reported confusion.
Raising the matter in Parliament on Tuesday, Mushoriwa said lawmakers had extensively debated and passed both the Finance Bill and the Appropriation Bill, which were subsequently signed into law by President Emmerson Mnangagwa.
"… we burned the midnight oil debating the Finance and the Appropriation Bills in respect to the 2026 National Budget. Those two Bills were passed by this National Assembly, including the Senate, and they were signed into law by the President of Zimbabwe so that it becomes the Finance Act," he said.
"Regrettably, a matter of grave constitutional concern is that the Ministry of Finance, on 14 January 2026, wrote a circular to reverse and suspend what has been passed by this august House and signed by the President."
Mushoriwa argued that under Section 134 of the Constitution, legislative authority is vested exclusively in Parliament and the President, and not in a permanent secretary or any other government official.
"If there was a problem in terms of any provision of the Finance Act, the Constitution has a remedy where the Minister can actually come here," he said.
He further contended that the circular has created uncertainty in the business sector, particularly regarding provisions relating to the definition of minerals, which he said had been supported by the Finance Minister during the legislative process.
"To then have a Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Finance writing to suspend that law without coming to Parliament or without even going to the President… is not fair. I think it brings the name of Parliament and the hard work of Members of Parliament into disrepute. But more importantly, it also violates the Constitution," Mushoriwa said.
He called on Speaker of Parliament Jacob Mudenda to summon Finance Minister Professor Mthuli Ncube to explain the circumstances surrounding the circular.
"I am asking your Chair to ask the Minister of Finance to come to this House to explain why they could do something unconstitutional because the supremacy of Parliament… should always be respected," he added.
Responding to the concerns, Speaker Mudenda said he would look into the matter to address the reported confusion.
Source - Business Times
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