Chinamasa, Moyo clash

Politics
“This SI is not only suspending duty after the fact but also after the same duty was initially waived unlawfully for Africa Chrome Fields,” the minister tweeted.

Higher and Tertiary Education minister Jonathan Moyo yesterday queried a decision by Finance minister Patrick Chinamasa to retrospectively suspend duty for fuel imported under controversial circumstances, exposing widening divisions in the Zanu PF government.

By Staff Reporter

Moyo took to Twitter to query why Chinamasa on Friday waived duty for fuel already imported for the Dema emergency power project, Kariba South extension project and African Chrome Field (ACF) using statutory instrument 126 of 2017.

“This SI is not only suspending duty after the fact but also after the same duty was initially waived unlawfully for Africa Chrome Fields,” the minister tweeted.

Last month, the Zimbabwe Independent revealed that two private companies imported 312 million litres of diesel duty-free, prejudicing the broke Treasury of revenue in unpaid taxes.

The government granted national project status to the Dema project as the country grappled with a perennial energy crisis that resulted in intermittent power cuts.

ACF was also exempted from paying taxes for its mining project, openly violating the law.

However, Chinamasa had insisted that the importation of the fuel was above board.