BY SILAS NKALA THE Grain Millers Association of Zimbabwe (GMAZ) has accused Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Lands and Agriculture chairperson Justice Mayor Wadyajena of abusing his position to grab its grain and inputs transportation deal.
GMAZ made the claims in its application filed at the Harare High Court on Tuesday seeking a review of the committee’s inquiry proceedings.
The association said they were ambushed by the committee, adding their chairperson Tafadzwa Musarara was being bullied by Wadyajena, a Zanu PF legislator.
“The applicants apply in terms of the provisions of the High Court Act Chapter 7:06 as read with the provisions of the Administrative Justice Act Chapter 10:28 and the common law for the review of the proceedings relating to the funds distributed by the 6th respondent (RBZ) to the 1st applicant (GMAZ) for procurement of wheat …” the application read in part.
In the application, GMAZ, Drotsky (Pvt) Limited and Musarara were the applicants.
They cited the parliamentary committee, its chairperson Wadyajena, Parliament of Zimbabwe, Speaker of the National Assembly Jacob Mudenda, Clerk of Parliament, Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe and Finance minister Mthuli Ncube as respondents, respectively.
GMAZ noted that while the law allows the committee to order any person to appear before it, the same law does not permit its chair to prepare and adopt reports.
“Second respondent (Wadyajena) is an interested party in the proceedings in that he operates a fleet of trucks which he owns under the company called Mayor Logistics. This company was awarded contracts to ferry agricultural inputs, grain, cotton and other crops on behalf of the government,” GMAZ submitted.
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The association indicated that Wadyajena failed to declare his interests in the matter, but went on to preside over the inquiry despite him being conflicted.
“The second respondent displayed he had nefarious motives calculated to harass, embarrass and portray first applicant (GMAZ) in bad light by passing gratuitous and sarcastic comments against the applicant on social media at the time when the proceedings were pending or ongoing under his chairmanship.”
GMAZ appealed to the court to set aside the committee’s findings.
In his founding affidavit, Musarara said Wadyajena’s conduct during the proceedings were reckless and unprofessional
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