Tendai Biti recalled from Parliament after exposing Sakunda corruption

By Nyashadzashe Ndoro | Nehanda Politics |

The opposition People’s Democratic Party (PDP) led by Lucia Matibenga on Wednesday claimed it had recalled Harare East legislator Tendai Biti among four other MPs. Speaker of Parliament Jacob Mudenda confirmed receiving the letter.

The notice from the PDP says it is recalling the MDC Alliance Vice president Biti, Kambuzuma legislator Willias Madzimure, Mbizo MP Settlement Chikwinya, Mutasa South MP Regai Tsunga and Nkulumane MP Kucaca Phulu from the Parliament

Biti has been vocal in Parliament where he was chairing a Public Accounts Committee (PAC). On Monday, he took the Zimbabwe Electricity Supply Authority (ZESA) to task over allegations it awarded a US$250 million tender to Sakunda Holdings for the installation of the 200MW Dema Diesel Power Plant in violation of the country’s procurement procedures.

ZESA executive chairman Sydney Gata reportedly failed to answer to some of the allegations, a move that raised eyebrows given the parastatal’s long history of harbouring corrupt officials.

In an interview with the Zim Morning Post, Biti said his recall had something to do with the corruption he was about to expose through the PAC, starting with the ZESA scandal.

“PAC which I happen to be its chairperson this week dragged Zesa executive chairperson Sydney Gata to explain how Kuda Tagwirei of Sakunda was awarded the Dema diesel plant without due process,” Biti said.

“We started with Dema and next was Command Agriculture and then Zinara. We are chronicling the corruption reports where Tagwirei is the kingpin.

“We have those reports ready so my recall is to make sure that issues to do with corruption are not brought before parliament,” he said.

Meanwhile the MDC Alliance has already lost more than half of its parliamentarians after they were recalled by the MDC-T party led by Douglas Mwonzora and Thokozani Khupe despite the fact that they contested in 2018 elections on the MDC Alliance ticket.

Mwonzora and Khupe have removed from Parliament and council, MPs, senators and councillors who supported Nelson Chamisa. They have managed to do this using a Supreme Court ruling that nullified Chamisa’s leadership of the party left by the late founding leader Morgan Tsvangirai.