Parliament takes Gumbo to task over the Beitbridge-Harare Road dualisation

THE HON. SPEAKER: Can you allow the Hon. Minister to answer.

HON. DR. GUMBO: That is the correct information that I am giving you and from both sides, I think colleagues are aware that, that is what happens.  However, that does not also exonerate the fact that the company has delayed and I am happy to say that the Government is seized with that issue and are taking steps to make sure that it is corrected because the delay has now become too long.  They have their reasons and Government has now taken its position.   That will be announced very shortly.

HON. MARIDADI: On a point of order Mr. Speaker.

THE HON. SPEAKER: On a point of order or supplementary question.

HON. MARIDADI: I would rather call it a point of order because Mr. Speaker, I think to save the Minister the pain that he is going through to explain this thing which cannot be explained, which is very difficult to explain, can he bring a Ministerial Statement so that he is able to put it before the House and let the whole world know that the Government of Zimbabwe are bad at negotiating contracts.  What the Minister has just said is a clear testimony that as Government, they are very bad at negotiating contracts and they should leave this job to people who can do it.  So, if he brings a Ministerial Statement, we are then able to assist Government; that is the job of Zimbabweans to assist people who cannot do it.  They need a lot of hand-holding.  We are prepared to assist Mr. Speaker.  Thank you.

THE HON. SPEAKER: I was going to ask whether the Hon. Minister would acquiesce to the request of a Ministerial Statement that can give more details.

HON. DR. GUMBO: I was going to stand up to say that I have no problem in doing that.  The issue Mr. Speaker Sir, is that when we give or award a tender, we do that on the response made by the bidder and you would not know whether they would have money tomorrow or not.  So, I will come and give a Ministerial Statement.

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