Chengetai Zvauya
The Grains Millers Association of Zimbabwe (GMAZ) Tuesday failed to turn up for the fourth time since last year for a hearing before the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Lands, Agriculture, Water and Rural Resettlement, to explain how it utilisation the funds it received from Treasury from 2015 to 2018.
GMAZ is said to have received $27m during that period meant to go towards the purchase of wheat.
Justice Mayor Wadyajena, who chairs the Committee, told journalists on Tuesday that his Committee Tuesday received a letter from GMAZ lawyers indicating they were not willing to appear before the Committee. The letter, according to Wadyajena, also indicated that GMAZ does not want him to chair the Committee. They claimed Wadyajena’s Committee was not fair to them.
GMAZ indicated they preferred appearing before the Public Accounts Committee chaired by Tendai Biti.
“We have received a letter from GMAZ lawyers indicating that they are not ready to appear before our committee,” Wadyajena said.
He added: “GMAZ also stated that that I should not be chairing this Committee and are preferring to appear before the Public Accounts Committee and are saying we are not being fair to them.
“But as a committee we have decided that they must appear before this committee to explain the funds they have received from the treasury about $27 million from 2015 to 2018 for refurbishing the silos.
We are not fighting individuals in GMAZ but we want the organisation to send its representatives to the committee to clarify some issues with the committee,” Wadyajena said.
GMAZ is a voluntary organisation which represents the interests of local gain millers in in Zimbabwe.
