Norton Member of Parliament and Chairperson of the Mines Portfolio Committee chairperson, Temba Mliswa is being investigated by a parliamentary probe team.
Mliswa, together with Magwegwe MP Anele Ndebele (MDC Alliance), Binga North MP Prince Dubeko Sibanda (MDC Alliance), and Gokwe Kabuyuni MP Leonard Chikomba (Zanu PF) is facing allegations of demanding a bribe from an investor, James Goddard, who was keen on investing a substantial amount into an ailing coal-mining giant, Hwange Colliery Company.
Speaker of Parliament Jacob Mudenda announced the decision to set up the probe team on Thursday. A motion of privilege was moved by Makoni South MP Misheck Mataranyika (Zanu PF) who said:
During the period that the four MPs allegedly met Goddard, the Mines Committee was doing an enquiry into the operations of Hwange Colliery.
The allegations are very serious and injurious to the reputation of the MPs, the committee and Parliament, and in that regard, the allegations made constitute breach and contempt of Parliament.
However, in raising this matter, I am not saying that the MPs are guilty, but simply to provide the MPs with an opportunity to clear their names and protect their integrity and that of Parliament.
In response Mudenda said Mudenda:
To that extent, Parliament must be seen to abide by this provision among others. Having listened to the report by the MP, indeed, the allegations are serious and have the potential to damage the integrity of Parliament, the Mines Committee and MPs.
Corruption is now a cancer to our society look members of parliament one independent, two from MDC Alliance and one from ZANU PF have joined hands for bad reason demanding a bribe from an investor, James Goddard, something really need to be done to solve this mess.