Zanu PF Chief Whip Shoots Down APNAC Demand
By Paidamoyo Manhimbe
Zanu Pf Chief Whip Hon. Pupurai Togarepi has shot down the demand by the African Parliamentarians Network against Corruption (APNAC) to dismiss Hon. Justice Mayor Wadyajena as portfolio committee chairperson.
Gokwe Nembudziya legislator Wadyajena is the current chairperson of the parliament portfolio Committee on Lands, Agriculture, Climate and Water.
The demand comes after Wadyajena was arrested by the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC) on allegations of fraud and money laundering amounting to US$ 5 million in mid-August for alleged fraud and money laundering worth USD$5million.
In a telephone interview with Open Parly ZW, Gutu constituency legislator Togarepi said his party respects due process.
“Zanu PF believes in the rule of law. A person is innocent until he is proven guilty.
In that light, he is still a member of Parliament and also Chairman of the Portfolio Committee,” Tongarepi said.
Tongarepi dismissed demands to fire Wadyajena as, “nothing but social media frenzy.”
Further, Hon.Togarepi criticized APNAC for using inappropriate channels to disseminate the demand.
“The APNAC statement was for social media consumption.
“APNAC is a network recognised by Parliament who should know where to raise any issues which they find to be important to their mandate,” said Togarepi.
Mliswa’s Demand
APNAC Chairman and Norton Legislator Hon. Temba Mliswa issued a statement last week pushing for the removal of Wadyajena as committee chairperson.
The statement raised concerns over the failure of Zanu PF in taking action on the suspension of Hon. Wadyajena.
“We were expecting that by now Parliament would have made a ruling on whether the Hon. MP should still retain his Chairmanship in light of the serious allegations that he is currently facing.
“APNAC strongly believes that Zanu PF as a ruling party that seconded Hon. Wadyajena to the position of Committee Chairman, would have [by now ], asked him to relinquish the Chairmanship of the aforesaid Portfolio Committee in line with the precedence that was set by Parliament at a time when I and three other MPs underwent an enquiry on allegations of corruption,” Mliswa said.
Zanu PF Chief Whip Shoots Down APNAC Demand
