By Annah Chibamu
ZANU PF MP and Parliament’s Budget and Finance committee chairperson, Energy Mutodi has made a somersault over bribery allegations he levelled against Finance Permanent Secretary George Guvamatanga.
Earlier, Mutodi made sensational claims against the Treasury head but suddenly, made a U-turn, apologising and retracting the statements.
The legislator demanded that Guvamatanga be summoned by Parliament to clear his name following accusations of corruption involving alarming sums in dealings with contractors.
In the X thread, the former deputy minister had accused Guvamatanga of siphoning millions of US dollars from State coffers through government contracted companies of between five and 10% per transaction or contract.
“The Parliament of Zimbabwe has received agonising reports that Guvamatanga is receiving 5% -10% for every payment done by the Treasury. GG as he is notoriously called has accumulated more than US$1 billion becoming the richest civil servant,” said Mutodi.
Finance Ministry Permanent Secretary George Guvamatanga
He alleged “Contractors, Ministries and Departments refusing to pay Guvamatanga a kick back of at least 5% after receiving Treasury payments have been denied payments for several months even if the funds are budgeted for.
“Over the past six months, Parliament itself has struggled to operate after being denied its budgeted funds by George Guvamatanga. A civil servant earning less than $1,000 GG has more than 5,000 dairy cattle, dairy equipment and several mansions hence the proposed lifestyle audit.”
In a statement, Mutodi retracted the damning charges saying he had no iota of evidence to prove these allegations.
This is not the first time the controversial lawmaker has made baseless allegations and forced to withdraw through lack of evidence.
“Following the publication of several tweets concerning flaws in the government payment system and particularly the conduct of Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Finance, Economic Development and Investment Promotion Mr George Guvamatanga,
“I have reflected on my relationship with the Permanent Secretary anc following a telephone conversation with him, I have concluded that it is not in our interest to escalate the issues raised in those tweets.
“While the issues had been raised as a matter of principle and for the need to contribute meaningfully to this government especially by upholding the oversight function of Parliament provided for under Section 119 (3) of the Constitution of Zimbabwe, it is apparent to mention that proof beyond reasonable doubt under the circumstances would be impossible, making such a publication defamatory on the part of Mr George Guvamatanga.
“I, therefore, wish to issue an apology, unreservedly to Mr George Guvamatanga for the reputational damage the tweets may have caused and I have made instructions that the tweets be erased with immediate effect,” Mutodi said.
Mutodi will have to appear in Parliament to retract the allegations against Guvamatanga, which were also recorded in the parliamentary journal, The Hansard, this Thursday.