NORTON legislator Temba Mliswa (Independent) yesterday accused Mines and Energy Parliamentary Portfolio Committee chairperson Daniel Shumba of shielding Sakunda Holdings owner Kuda Tagwirei and the Dema Power Project from scrutiny.
BY XOLISANI NCUBE
Speaking in the National Assembly, Mliswa described Shumba as unprofessional and biased in the manner he was handling Sakunda’s involvement in the Dema project.
“We are under siege in that committee,” the vocal legislator said.
“The chairman spends time lecturing us, but we have equally been provincial chairpersons and we are not interested in being educated by him.”
The committee has been probing Sakunda Holdings over the Dema emergency power plant, which received the tender from the government without following due process. One of the key personnel in the Sakunda deal is said to be President Robert Mugabe’s in-law.
Mliswa claimed Shumba had been bribed by Tagwirei not to invite him to the committee so that he could respond on how his firm won several government deals.
Speaker of the National Assembly Jacob Mudenda later intervened and ordered Mliswa to provide proof to support his claims.
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“He (Shumba) tells stories implicating you (Mudenda) and the Clerk of Parliament (Kennedy Chokuda),” the outspoken Mliswa continued.
“So name-dropping is his tendency. He also has extortionist tendencies.”
Mliswa said at one time he engaged Vice-President Emmerson Mnangagwa to have Tagwirei brought to Parliament, but his efforts were fruitless.
Mudenda then told Chokuda to attend the committee’s meeting so that he could resolve the matter, before directing Mliswa to follow correct procedures in raising complaints against committee chairpersons.
“Any member of the committee who has certain allegations should have them tendered to the committee in black and white,” Mudenda said.
“Did you do that, Honourable Mliswa?”
Shumba, who was in the House, tried to defend himself, but Mudenda stopped him, saying he had already made a ruling directing Mliswa to follow due process.
Mliswa’s claims were despite Sakunda being summoned and grilled before Parliament last year, as legislators visited the project.
