Innocent Sibonginkosi Ncube | Zim GBC News Editor
Former Finance Minister Tendai Biti has condemned the removal of Energy Mutodi as Chairperson of Parliament’s Budget and Finance Committee, describing the move as “unconstitutional,” while political analysts question the validity of Mutodi’s parliamentary privilege defense given the nature of his social media allegations.
Mutodi, the Zanu PF legislator for Bikita South, was dismissed from his position on Tuesday following his claims on X (formerly Twitter) that Finance Ministry Permanent Secretary George Guvamatanga had accumulated over US$1 billion through kickbacks. Although Mutodi later retracted the allegations, the incident has sparked intense debate about parliamentary conduct and accountability.
In his response, Biti characterized the removal as “an abject unconstitutional overreach by a desperate cantankerous cartel that has captured the State.” He emphasized legislators’ constitutional oversight role, stating,
“Members of Parliament have absolute privilege and an unfettered right to freedom of expression when they debate in the chambers of the August House. Honourable Mutodi enjoys this constitutional protection.”
However, political commentator Dee Kay challenged this interpretation, noting that;
“Mutodi was not in Parliament when he made those remarks. It cannot be the case that MPs can say anything anywhere and still claim early privilege.”
The commentator further argued that Mutodi had alternative channels to address his concerns, suggesting he “could have raised legitimate concerns about the department’s performance or summoned Guvamatanga before his committee. Instead, he chose to focus on personal wealth, suggesting it was excessive for a civil servant.”
The analysis concluded that;
“Mutodi’s position became untenable the moment he went on that X rant, spewing unsubstantiated allegations. He had the position to properly investigate within his parliamentary remit, but he chose to play to the peanut gallery.”
Biti, however, maintained that the allegations warranted scrutiny, pointing to Auditor-General’s reports that highlighted similar irregularities.
“The issue of direct payments being made by Treasury to suppliers, bypassing line ministries and departments, has been documented before,” Biti said.
“In 2024 alone, US$2 billion of payments were made directly under Guvamatanga’s authority as Paymaster General.”
The contrasting perspectives highlight the tension between parliamentary oversight responsibilities and the appropriate channels for raising allegations, with the incident raising fundamental questions about the boundaries of parliamentary privilege and accountability mechanisms.
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