British legislators after Mliswa

20 Jul, 2014 - 00:07 0 Views
British legislators after Mliswa Mr Mliswa

The Sunday Mail

Mr Mliswa

Mr Mliswa

Lincoln Towindo and Kuda Bwititi
British parliamentarians want authorities in Zimbabwe to investigate Zanu-PF Mashonaland West chair Cde Temba Mliswa for his contentious takeover of Noshio Benbar Motors three years ago. Zimbabwe’s courts have cleared Cde Mliswa of any wrongdoing in the ownership wrangle.

However, British MPs accuse Cde Mliswa of abusing indigenisation laws to grab the company and hiding “behind his uncle, Mr Didymus Mutasa, Minister of Presidential Affairs, to escape accountability”.

In 2009, Cde Mliswa faced charges of illegally seizing shares worth over US$1 million from the company and threatening its director, Mr Paul Westwood, that he would make him “disappear”.

He was acquitted and successfully completed the takeover.
Mr Westwood soon afterwards relocated to Britain and lobbied the House of Commons to pressure Zimbabwe’s Government to relook the matter.

Three weeks ago, Glenrothes representative Mr Lindsay Allan Roy tabled a motion urging President Mugabe, Zanu-PF and Government to review the case and facilitate compensation.

Cde Mliswa told The Sunday Mail that Mr Westwood tricked the MPs into fighting in his corner.
The motion has received backing from 15 MPs from the three main political parties in the House – Conservatives, Labour and Liberal Democrats.

The matter will now be debated in the legislative chambers.
The legislators accuse Cde Mliswa of abusing the country’s indigenisation law for personal gain.

They commend President Mugabe’s stance against corruption and urge authorities to reopen investigations into the takeover of Noshio Motors with a view to punishing guilty parties.

The motion reads in part: “That this House . . . believes that a case has been made that Mr Mliswa improperly used his country’s indigenisation law for his own personal gain and that he hid behind his uncle Mr Didymus Mutasa, Minister for Presidential Affairs, to escape proper accountability;

“Is sceptical of Mr Mliswa’s apparent claim that he had presidential permission to seize Mr Westwood’s business;
“Further notes that President Robert Mugabe has given his Office full permission to expose all perpetrators of corruption and commends President Mugabe on his stance; and urges President Mugabe, the Zimbabwean Parliament, Zanu-PF and all other relevant authorities in Zimbabwe to investigate Mr Westwood’s case and the allegations against Mr Mliswa, punish any guilty parties and provide appropriate and timely compensation to Mr Westwood and his family.”

Cde Mliswa said he only intervened in Noshio’s affairs after workers complained they had gone for months unpaid.
“It is laughable and I do not understand how they become so petty. What they need to know is that the company was not wholly-owned by Westwood, but Hammerskold Banda also had a 50 percent stake.

“I left Westwood and Banda in charge of that company in 2011 when I was sent to remand prison. After I returned, I never had a say in the company and it was Westwood who was in control.

“The company was actually collapsing and the workers approached me to intervene and save the situation. The company had no money and I paid the workers from my own pocket and provided them with food.

“But after I was arrested, I never got back to the company. Westwood is actually a fugitive right now because I bought 100 tyres for that company and he stole them. I made a report and police are actually looking for him to answer for the stolen tyres.”

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