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Cabinet minister faces impeachment
ZimOnline
November 08, 2006

http://www.zimonline.co.za/Article.aspx?ArticleId=424

HARARE - A parliamentary committee yesterday tabled a surprise motion to impeach Industry and International Trade Minister Obert Mpofu on charges that he gave false evidence before a legislative committee as the saga at the national steel company ZISCOSTEEL deepens.

According to Parliament minutes, Mpofu told the portfolio committee on foreign affairs, industry and international trade on September 20 that some Members of Parliament had looted the state-owned Zimbabwe Iron and Steel Company (ZISCOSTEEL) and that the Ministry of Anti-Corruption had a report to support the allegations.

The minutes showed Mpofu saying President Robert Mugabe’s government had withheld the report from the public over fears it would jeopardise talks between the struggling steel parastatals and a foreign investor.

But a week later, Mpofu appeared before the same committee and flatly denied having made such comments or the existence of the report, the minutes showed.

Yesterday, the committee’s chairman Enoch Porusingazi, in a surprise move against one of Mugabe’s lieutenants, asked Speaker of Parliament John Nkomo to allow contempt proceedings against Mpofu.

"The committee has resolved to bring this matter before the August House," Porusingazi told parliament.

"Your committee, therefore pray the Honourable Speaker to make a ruling that the honourable minister's conduct committed a prima facie contempt of Parliament," he said.

In response Nkomo said he would make a decision on the matter in due course. He said: "I shall study the request that has been put to me and will make a ruling in due course."

Mpofu is a member of the inner politburo cabinet of Mugabe’s ruling ZANU PF party.

Sources believe the report mentioned by Mpofu existed but that he had backtracked after senior party and government officials leaned on him over the widely published statements to the committee.

Security Minister Didymus Mutasa, who is the ZANUPF secretary for administration told a weekend government paper that the ruling party would not block the impeachment process as long as it followed properly laid down procedures.

If successful this would be the first time a government minister would have been impeached by Parliament in post-independent Zimbabwe.

ZISCOSTEEL was the main foreign currency earner for the then white Rhodesian government and sustained Ian Smith’s regime during the years of international sanctions but output at the giant steelworks has sharply fallen to just 78 000 tonnes of steel annually because its main furnace - which accounts for 70 percent of production - has been derelict for years.

A US$400 million investment by India’s Global Steel Holdings to rehabilitate ZISCOSTEEL collapsed in September, just six months after its signing. Sources say the Indians were miffed by bribery demands by some government officials before the company’s turnaround.

In a separate issue, Mugabe's nephew, Leo, withdrew a motion demanding the removal of the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) leaders for "unethical conduct" and "abandoning its core business of representing workers."

Leo Mugabe submitted an amended motion, which urged the ZCTU leaders to support the government’s National Economic Development Priority Programme.

He said his original motion could be in contempt of court as the ZCTU secretary general Wellington Chibebe and two ZCTU officials have a pending court case over charges of breaching foreign exchange controls. - ZimOnline

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