×
NewsDay

AMH is an independent media house free from political ties or outside influence. We have four newspapers: The Zimbabwe Independent, a business weekly published every Friday, The Standard, a weekly published every Sunday, and Southern and NewsDay, our daily newspapers. Each has an online edition.

Gwaradzimba case takes new twist

News
The contempt of Parliament case against Shabanie Mashaba Mines administrator Afaras Gwaradzimba yesterday took a new twist after his lawyer objected to one of the Parliamentary Privileges and Immunities Committee (PPIC) members contributing in the matter. Yesterday, lawyer Simplicius Chihambakwe argued that Jessie Majome, a member of the PPIC, should not make any contributions in […]

The contempt of Parliament case against Shabanie Mashaba Mines administrator Afaras Gwaradzimba yesterday took a new twist after his lawyer objected to one of the Parliamentary Privileges and Immunities Committee (PPIC) members contributing in the matter.

Yesterday, lawyer Simplicius Chihambakwe argued that Jessie Majome, a member of the PPIC, should not make any contributions in the case since she was not present when the matter commenced last month.

“I would respectfully submit that if Majome participates in the decision-making on this matter . . . the respondent will take this matter for review, and will have no problem in having the decision set aside for gross irregularity,” Chihambakwe said.

“When I objected to the honourable member joining in two-thirds down the stream, the honourable member and not the honourable chairman ruled that she would sit in and that she would be able to pass judgment despite hearing only one-third of the trial.”

Chihambakwe also said Gwaradzimba’s hearing was not like Parliament where a member could just “pitch up” on the voting day and participate in the balloting for or against a Bill.

The lawyer also threatened that if the objection was not upheld he would conclude that some members would be interested parties in the case.

“If my objection is not upheld, in the face of this patent enthusiasm above average, then I will be tempted to agree with Veneranda Langa (NewsDay reporter) that it would appear that some members have a special interest in this matter,” Chihambakwe said.

However, the parliamentary counsel insisted there were no rules of procedure that barred parliamentary members who did not take part in the proceedings of a committee or Parliament from taking part in decision-making.

Gwaradzimba is facing contempt of Parliament charges following the publication of an article in NewsDay last year where he was quoted as making negative comments about the Parliamentary Committee on Mines and Energy.