PARLIAMENT yesterday heard that Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (Zimra) commissioner-general Gershem Pasi was reportedly earning a whopping $310 000 per month.
BY VENERANDA LANGA SENIOR PARLIAMENTARY REPORTER
This was disclosed by MDC-T Mbizo MP Settlement Chikwinya while debating on a corruption motion which was moved by Kambuzuma MP Willias Madzimure (MDC-T).
MPs from across the political divide also demanded that Vice-President Joice Mujuru should appear before the House to explain allegations that she wanted to gag the media from reporting on the vice.
The House also demanded that Information, Communication Technology minister Webster Shamu should also appear before the House to give an explanation as to how he acquired a top-of-the-range Toyota Land Cruiser VX8 black vehicle from suspended Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation boss Happison Muchechetere who is currently under probe for sleaze.
During debate, Clerk of Parliament Austin Zvoma was also labelled as corrupt when Chikwinya alleged he had tried to stop the corruption motion from being discussed in the House, but Speaker of the House of Assembly Jacob Mudenda defended Zvoma’s stance, saying he was the ultimate voice when it came to approving motions.
“Corruption cannot be blamed on a political party, but on individuals and we support President Robert Mugabe for his stance on corruption, but Mugabe now fears that Zimbabwe is a state moving fast into a kleptocracy where corruption is now endemic,” Madzimure said.
Chikwinya chipped in: “If Zimbabwe is ranked the third most corrupt country ahead of countries like Burundi that have no formal structures of government and are run by war lords, then it means we are a failed state.”
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Madzimure added: “People with a curable disease like TB are dying because people like former PSMAS CEO Cuthbert Dube was taking his concubines to Malaysia. Parliament is also weakened by individuals who have been running the institution for many years and when we approached Zvoma asking him to give us permission to move the motion he watered it down saying it was not part of Parliament’s mandate to investigate corruption. What is Zvoma trying to hide?”
The MPs later resolved that Parliament should set up a committee to investigate corruption, and every portfolio committee with oversight functions over a ministry should be involved in appointment of parastatal boards. Buhera South MP Joseph Chinotimba divulged he had received an anonymous call suspected to be from one of those implicated in corruption cases asking him to refrain from contributing on the corruption motion for a fee of $500.
Chinotimba, who was visibly angry, had to use an un-parliamentary four letter swear word in anger and was asked to withdraw by the Speaker.
“As war veterans, we lost limbs fighting for this country and most of these people involved in corrupt activities never went to war. How can I sell the country for only $500 when people are stealing as much as $300 000?” Chinotimba queried.
Meanwhile, a probe into operations of community share ownership trusts (Marange, Zimunya and Tongogara) by the Portfolio Committee on Indigenisation said Zanu PF big fish, the National Indigenisation and Economic Empowerment Board and mines interfered in running them.
