Kasukuwere should be investigated, says Mnangagwa's ally

THE Zimbabwe Republic Police, Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission and the Auditor General should move in to investigate Local Government, Public Works and National Housing Minister Saviour Kasukuwere over possible abuse of office and misleading President Mugabe about a $50 million pledge ostensibly made by Chiadzwa diamond firms towards the Marange-Zimunya Community Share Ownership Trust, legislators have said.

The parliamentary portfolio committee on Youth, Indigenisation and Economic Empowerment chaired by Gokwe Nembudziya MP Justice Mayor Wadyajena recommended that President Mugabe should establish a commission of enquiry led by a High Court judge to investigate the "intricate web of deceit," by Minister Kasukuwere when he was still Minister of Youth Development, Indigenisation and Economic Empowerment.

The committee's report was tabled yesterday following more than two years of inquiry that entailed holding meetings with other Cabinet Ministers, representatives of diamond firms, Marange communities among others.

In tabling the report, Wadyajena said it was important to note that his committee comprised of 30 legislators, 21 of whom were from Zanu-PF while others were from MDC-T.

The report noted that President Mugabe was made to preside over the launch of the trust in Marange where he was presented a dummy cheque of $1,5 million purportedly coming from one of the diamond firms when no agreement had been reached between the concerned companies. Neither were there documents showing such a consensus.

Before the presentation was made, there was a heated argument between legislators on one hand and Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly Mabel Chinomona and Clerk of Parliament Mr Kennedy Chokuda after the latter stopped the report's presentation arguing that the Speaker of the National Assembly, Advocate Jacob Mudenda wanted to go through it first.

Buhera South MP Joseph Chinotimba (Zanu-PF) said attempts to stop reports detailing corruption was the basis upon which people created the perception that Zanu-PF was covering up the vice.

Chinomona later allowed the report to be tabled saying she was not aware that Adv Mudenda had since gone through it and cleared it.