YOUTH and Indigenisation minister Patrick Zhuwao yesterday failed to turn up for a Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Youth and Indigenisation hearing where he was expected to be further grilled on how he allegedly clandestinely appointed a consultancy company without following tender procedures.
BY VENERANDA LANGA
Chairman of the committee Justice Mayor Wadyajena said Zhuwao had communicated with the committee that he had other commitments.
Zhuwao had been re-summoned to appear before the committee to be further questioned on how the Thandie Ngwenya-led Triple Bottom Line Consultancy (3BL) was engaged to craft an economic empowerment strategy.
The minister was chucked out of the committee hearing last week on suspicions that he was drunk after he continuously giggled and gave weird answers to MPs’ questions, while also exchanging harsh words with Wadyajena.
“The committee will now proceed and prepare a report on the engagement of 3BL, and we will carefully study the evidence that we have so far, as well as the behaviour of the minister before taking appropriate action in accordance with Parliament Standing Rules and Orders,” Wadyajena told journalists.
“As a committee, we have resolved to compile a report without Zhuwao’s evidence and also get advice from the Speaker of the National Assembly Jacob Mudenda on what action to take in terms of Standing Rules and Orders.”
