Abuse of authority by parliamentary committees

A number of small scale miners and big mining companies have complained about the total fragrant abuse of power and office by the chairman of the Parliamentary mining committee MR Edmund Mukaratigwa who is the right-hand man of the minister of State Security Honourable Owen NCUBE. Honourable Mukaratigwa MP for Shurugwi South has used his position as the chairman of the mining portfolio to threaten artisan miners and many mining companies that he will use his powers to shut them down if they do not support him and his team financially and by supporting the candidacy of Honourable Owen Mudha NCUBE for Midlands Province chair.

Honourable Mukaratirwa has forced ongoing developmental projects in other constituencies to close down and has pressurised the mining companies not to enter into any agreement with any community Trust without his approval. He said as the chair of the mining portfolio he will make sure the companies which do not listen to him will be closed down and their mining rights be given to those who will tour his line.

Companies which refuse to donate receive letters threatening unspecified action over and above closing down.

Mr Mukaratigwa uses the parliament headed letters to induce fear in his underhand operations. In a letter he wrote to Ms Natasha Viljoen Chief Executive Officer Anglo American Platinum in South Africa Mukaratigwa accused the company of not making Covid donations.

Companies which have been contacted for comment have commented on condition of anonymity said Mukaratigwa has become a mining terrorist.

Honourable Mukaratigwa approached a community based mining Trust. Shurugwi North Development Trust which was mining and employing hundreds of members of the community. He threatened members of the Trust and told them that he was going to come wit Minister July Moyo and Minister Muda NCUBE to close down the Trust because he blamed the Trust members to be aligned to the Shurugwi North MP honourable RR Nyathi.

Mukaratigwa who is embroiled in the fierce fight for positions in the Midlands Provincial elections is a close ally of July Moyo and Minister NCUBE.
The actions of Mukaratigwa are a clear abuse of office. He must not use his position in parliament to demand donations and to use it again for political gains.

Honourable Mukaratigwa attended a meeting held on Saturday the 10th September 2021 at July Moyo's Farm. The meeting was attended by a politburo member Chiherenge and Isheunesu Hove from Gokwe North, minister Mudha NCUBE and Chigaba from Gokwe South, the Mupereri brothers Vongai and Cornelius from Kwekwe, Vongai is the spiritual guru for minister July Moyo. In that meeting there was Makombe, Omega Sibanda and Chidhakwa from Gweru, Mukaratigwa from Shurugwi, Munanzvi and Zvidzayi from Churumanzu, Dumi Mawite from Zvishavane, K T Hove and Magida from Mberengwa. All these guys were assigned security operatives to work with so that they intimidate district chairpersons. It is in these meetings that Mukaratigwa gets his courage to abuse his office.
Honourable Mukaratigwa refused to comment when he was asked.

Midlands has seen bruising fights in preparation of the provincial elections.
The province has now been split into two factions all claiming to be serving the interest of the president.

Mukaratigwa is in the Mudha NCUBE faction which is campaigning for Mudha to be the provincial chairperson against the incumbent Mackenzie NCUBE. All sorts of missiles  are being fired from both camps.

Contacted for comment an independent member of parliament said
"The portfolio Committees of the National Assembly deal with the examining of bills, departmental budget votes, and are responsible for oversight of the work their respective department does.

The Parliamentary committees are established to study and deal with various matters that cannot be directly handled by the legislature due to rexeir volume. They also monitor the functioning of the executive branch. The Parliamentary committees are of two kinds – standing or permanent committees and ad hoc committees." He continued"if Mukaratigwa is abusing his portfolio for political reason he must resign forty with."

Speaking on condition of anonymity a Chinese minor in Shurugwi North said " we are tired of threats from the Parliamentary Committee which demands donations and directing how we should work. We strongly believe that Zimbabwe is open for business but the MP is an agent of destruction".

A constitutional law expert Dr Herbert Kawadza said
"The purpose of parliamentary committees is to perform functions which the houses themselves are not well fitted to perform, such as carrying out inquiries, hearing witnesses, sifting evidence, discussing matters in detail and formulating reasoned conclusions.

Committees are an essential part of the legislative process. Senate committees monitor on-going governmental operations, identify issues suitable for legislative review, gather and evaluate information, and recommend courses of action to the Senate." He said if the member of parliament is abusing his authority should be removed from the portfolio. A complaint must be put to the speaker of parliament and another to ZACC.

It is sad that the President is opening the country for business but there are those close to him scheming and planning for their own glory.

Vazet2000@yahoo.co.uk