By Staff Reporter
THE controversial Pomona waste-to-energy deal dominated debate in Parliament Wednesday with heated exchanges as opposition legislators demanded further explanations from government.
The opposition-controlled Harare City Council has rejected the US$344 million contract awarded to a Netherlands based company fronted in Zimbabwe by President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s son Collins and family friend Delish Nguwaya.
The deal requires council to pay the company US$22,000 per day and the bill has already reached US$780,000 with local government minister recently writing to council, directing payment to the company.
On Wednesday MPs demanded to know why the minister was acting like a debt collector on behalf of a private company.
Kuwadzana East MP Charlton Hwende, who is also secretary general for the opposition CCC party was ejected out of the House after insisting that more time should be allocated to debate the issue.
Below are some of his exchanges with the Speaker;
HON. HWENDE: Thank you very much Hon. Speaker.
THE TEMPORARY SPEAKER (HON. M. KHUMALO): The ten minutes extended time has lapsed.
HON. HWENDE: Do not protect thieves. Why are you protecting thieves? No, no, no. This is a very important matter. We must discuss it.
THE TEMPORARY SPEAKER: Hon. Member, the ten minutes have expired.
HON. HWENDE: No, you cannot protect corruption. This matter must be discussed.
THE TEMPORARY SPEAKER: You are now challenging the Chair.
HON. HWENDE: I am not challenging you. I am just asking you to allow us to debate because money is being stolen in this country and you are sitting there protecting people who are looting.
THE TEMPORARY SPEAKER: You are now challenging the Chair.
HON. HWENDE: I am not challenging you but do not protect people who are corrupt and are looting in this country.
THE TEMPORARY SPEAKER: Hon. Member, it is nothing about corruption. I am saying the ten minutes extension time has expired.
HON. HWENDE: This is a very important matter. The City of Harare is being forced to pay $22.000 per day. It is a very important matter.
THE TEMPORARY SPEAKER: Hon. Member, procedure has to be followed.
HON. HWENDE: No, there is no procedure. Why are you protecting thieves? What kind of procedure is that?
THE TEMPORARY SPEAKER: Can we proceed?
HON. HWENDE: We are not going to proceed. This matter must be discussed here. Why should we proceed? We are not going to any other question. We must discuss this matter today. Why are you protecting thieves? This is Parliament. You cannot allow thieves to be protected by Parliament. We are exercising our oversight role.
THE TEMPORARY SPEAKER: Hon. Member, can you sit down.
HON. HWENDE: I am not going to sit down. Why should I sit down? You want me to sit down so that Harare can be forced to pay $22.000 per day?
THE TEMPORARY SPEAKER: Hon. Member, whatever you are going to say, the procedure will not allow that.
HON. HWENDE: What procedure? Your procedure is allowing thieves to go scot free. What kind of procedure is that?
THE TEMPORARY SPEAKER: We are following procedure here. Sit down Hon. Member.
HON. HWENDE: What kind of procedure are you talking about? I am not going to sit down. Why should I sit down? You want me to sit down so that you can allow Harare to be looted? We are not going to allow looting here. This looting must stop today.
THE TEMPORARY SPEAKER: Hon. Member, I will ask you to go out.
HON. HWENDE: I am not going out.
THE TEMPORARY SPEAKER: You are challenging the Chair. Can you go out?
HON. HWENDE: What I am saying is, can you allow this debate to go ahead? This is a very important matter. Can you allow the debate to continue? People are looting and you are allowing people to loot. What kind of a Speaker are you?
THE TEMPORARY SPEAKER: Hon. Member, can you go out!
HON. HWENDE: No, no, no. Let us debate this matter today. “Ungadzingire munhu nyaya yecorruption. Mari yacho kwairi kudyiwa imi hamusi kukuona?” You are trying to protect thieves then you are chasing me out.
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