Parly raps Kuwaza SPB BOARD CHAIRMAN CHARLES KUWAZA
SPB BOARD CHAIRMAN CHARLES KUWAZA

SPB BOARD CHAIRMAN CHARLES KUWAZA

Harare Bureau
Members of Parliament yesterday rapped State Procurement Board chairperson Charles Kuwaza for not taking the business of the House seriously after he failed to submit detailed responses on his board’s handling of a Zimbabwe Electricity Transmission and Distribution Company (ZETDC) tender.

Legislators from Parliament’s portfolio committee on Mines and Energy took turns to castigate Kuwaza for his attitude after he failed to give details of tenders handled by SPB from 2008 to date as requested by the committee.

Committee chairperson and Gutu Central MP, Cde Lovemore Matuke (Zanu-PF) later deferred the meeting to next week but not before legislators had slammed Kuwaza.

The committee had asked the SPB to disclose how many companies had tendered for electricity pre-paid meters and who the successful firms were.

The committee also wanted to know if there were companies that had won tenders but failed to complete projects, and if so, how many they were.

Kuwaza initially told the committee that their letter of request was of a general nature considering the SPB handled several tenders for the whole state machinery.

He then requested MPs to ask him questions.

Cde Matuke asked him to first give them a brief on what they had written to him about.

Kuwaza then outlined the operations of the SPB, the threshold of tenders it handled but did not make specific reference to ZETDC, saying it was just one of many State entities it handled.

Legislators said his brief had not helped clarify matters.

“From what I’ve heard, our questions haven’t been answered. We’re now shooting from the hip,” said Gutu West MP, Cde Tongai Muzenda (Zanu-PF).

Cde Matuke concurred: “We share the same sentiments with you Hon Muzenda. The gentleman has failed to answer our questions. What we need is to agree whether we should continue or give him another day. He should take the business (of the House) seriously.”

Glen View North MP Fani Munengami (MDC-T) said while it was prudent that Kuwaza should be given another day, he should explain his failure to respond to their questions.

Kuwaza retorted: “I’ve responded. I’m saying I’ve a whole lot of material that I’ve here. I can leave it with the committee. I’ve the information. It’s detailed. I didn’t know what the committee wanted me to do. I take the business of Parliament seriously,” said Kuwaza.

Mberengwa North MP Cde Tafanana Zhou (Zanu-PF) said Kuwaza should also respond to how the SPB had resolved a case in which the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority had garnished the SPB $1 million to recover what he (Kuwaza) owed in income tax arrears.

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