ZANU PF politburo member and Higher Education minister Jonathan Moyo has accused sections of the party calling for Local Government minister Saviour Kasukuwere’s censure of pushing an agenda similar to that of a vanquished Zanu PF faction.
By Everson Mushava
Moyo said he smelt “Gamatox 2” after Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Youth, Indigenisation and Economic Empowerment chairperson Justice Mayor Wadyajena on Wednesday moved to press contempt of Parliament charges against Kasukuwere.
The Higher Education minister took to Twitter to vent his frustration over the onslaught against the Zanu PF commissar.
Gamatox was derisively used against a Zanu PF faction linked to former Vice-President JoiceMujuru that was accused of plotting to oust President Robert Mugabe through unconstitutional means.
Moyo wondered how a Parliament dominated by Zanu PF, which controls the House could propose to nail a fellow party member.
“Moves in Parly to charge ruling Party’s Commissar? This smells like Gamatox 2 and Nieebgate 2,” Moyo wrote.
“With the leader of the House, chief whip, Speaker of Parliament, portfolio committee majority and its chair all ours how do we move to charge our commissar?”
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Moyo said the calls for Kasukuwere to be censured were personal, not legal.
“This is not about rule of law. In fact no law is at issue in this matter,” he claimed.
“The purported charge is personal and has nothing to do with CSOTs! (Community Share Ownership Trusts)”
On Wednesday, Wadyajena alleged that Kasukuwere openly threatened him when his committee was gathering oral evidence on the Marange-Zimunya Community Share Ownership Trust.
Yesterday, the youthful MP stood his ground and maintained that the decision to invite Kasukuwere to appear before his committee was informed by Section 107(2) of the Constitution.
The section compels a Vice-President, minister and deputy minister to attend Parliament and parliamentary committees in order to answer questions concerning matters where he or she is collectively or individually responsible. Wadyajena said Moyo should acquaint himself with the Constitution and parliamentary rules before making unfounded statements.
“The honourable minister must be reminded that he who alleges must prove instead of sidestepping issues, but if indeed he said that like you are saying it, I urge the good Prof to acquaint himself with the Constitution of Zimbabwe and the Standing Rules and Orders of Parliament,” he said.
Speaker of Parliament Jacob Mudenda is expected to soon make a ruling on the case.
