VICE-President Phelekezela Mphoko’s role in the recent release of arrested Zimbabwe National Roads Authority (Zinara) executives facing charges of prejudicing the parastatal of $1,3 million has come under the spotlight in Parliament.
BY VENERANDA LANGA
Mphoko caused a stir a fortnight ago when he reportedly forced Harare police to release Zinara acting CEO Moses Juma and non-executive director Davison Norupiri before they could be taken to court.
The VP reportedly drove to Avondale Police Station and freed the duo on the grounds that they were his “boys”.
During a question and answer session in the National Assembly on Wednesday, Mabvuku Tafara MP James Maridadi (MDC-T) asked Minister of State in Vice-President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s office Clifford Sibanda to explain circumstance leading to Juma and Norupiri’s release from custody.
The duo was arrested by the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission.
“Is it government’s policy that a vice-president who will be acting president would go to a police station and emotionally cause the release of an accused person because he works for him, and then his body guards severely assault the police officers?” Maridadi queried.
“He had his shirt removed and exposed an open fly. This happened in the open and it is an open secret nationwide that this is what happened.
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“The VP removed his shirt and assaulted people. Is that government policy, and is it the position that an acting president removes his shirt and assaults police officers at a police station?”
Unfortunately for Maridadi, the question was brushed aside by the deputy speaker of the National Assembly Mabel Chinomona, who said he should put it in writing as Sibanda was not assigned to Mphoko’s office.
However, Maridadi told The Standard on Friday that he was going to pursue the matter in Parliament until he got answers.
“I have actually put the question for Mphoko in writing and have already submitted it to the clerk of Parliament Kennedy Chokuda’s office,” he said.
“It is a question that should not take long to be responded to by Mphoko because he knew what he was doing when he ordered that people that were arrested for corruption be released.
“The VP must also realise that his indiscretions have become a public embarrassment and that if he is a man of common sense and logic, he must do the noble thing and resign on his own accord, and immediately.
“It appears honour is not one of the attributes in Mphoko and I do not think Zimbabwe deserves a VP of such calibre.”
Mphoko has been under fire for his two year stay at the Rainbow Towers in Harare at taxpayers’ expense.
