Mliswa says Parliament procurement must be audited from 2013 following laptop scandal- Hwende claims Speaker was involved

Independent Legislator Temba Mliswa says Parliament has trusted its administration too much but it must now be audited from 2013 when he joined Parliament.

This follows reports that Parliament approved a tender in which an obscure company was awarded a tender to supply 173 laptops but the tender was cancelled by treasury after it discovered that each laptop was going to cost more than US$9 000.

Speaker of Parliament Jacob Mudenda, however, said the matter should be handled by the Public Accounts Committee and it was the one that would determine whether there was need for a forensic audit.

Mudenda also said Parliament’s accounts had been audited so if there were any outstanding issues from 2013 they should be raised from the audit reports.

During the debate, Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front chief whip Pupurai Togarepi complained by Citizens Coalition for Change legislator Chalton Hwende had interjected that Mudenda’s hand had been caught in the cookie.

Hwende denied this saying Togarepi was a liar.

Full debate:

HON. T. MLISWA:  Thank you very much Hon. Speaker Sir.  My point of national interest arises from the current media reports on this esteemed institution in terms of the corrupt activities which are said to be undertaken.  Mr. Speaker Sir, you are respected …

THE HON. SPEAKER:  Did you say activities?  Can you be more explicit?

HON. T. MLISWA:  One of the activities would be the Hon. Wadyajena issue.  The second one is the recent one of the laptops.  So, I would want to bring these two for now, which have been in the media to say that we are finding it difficult to walk around the streets and not be asked and attacked that Mliswa you talk too much but you are corrupt yourself.  They do not understand the operation of Parliament that the Speaker is the head, there are Members of Parliament and there is Administration.  They relate everything to the Speaker and Members of Parliament, yet Administration is not known because they never debate in Parliament.  The common man views Parliament as the Speaker and Members of Parliament and not Administration because they do not debate.  If you have a TV there, it is you and us here, so the Administration of Parliament leaves a lot to be desired. 

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