Parliament must use its teeth

The managing director of Canadile told journalists this week that the ministers were going to assess compliance issues concerning the Kimberley Process. He appeared to be bothered by the fact that others were saying his company had not complied with the guidelines set out by the watchdog. The Kimberley Process had blocked sales from the alluvial fields in eastern Zimbabwe after documenting forced labour and other abuses by the military.

The ministry of mines and energy again this week barred the parliamentary portfolio committee from visiting. This is the second time they have done this in a few months. If those mining the fields are indeed complying with the KP as they claim, why are parliamentarians not being permitted to visit?

This kind of behaviour leads to speculation that things are not alright. What have they to fear? Perhaps it is that Zimbabwean parliamentarians, who speak the language of the local villagers, who are familiar with the goings on at Chiadzwa, will not be easily fooled as indeed foreigners might be. No doubt they will be flown in and flown out, wined and dined, and possibly even given a little rough diamond to take home as a token of gratitude for their endorsement.

For as long as our own parliamentarians are denied access to Chiadzwa there will always be suspicion about what is going on there. The barring of parliamentarians shows Zanu (PF)s utter contempt for parliament and total disregard for the separation of powers.

We feel that Parliament should assert itself. It has the power to summon before it those government officials who are barring the visit, and order them to reply with its instructions. Parliament even has the power to order the imprisonment of those officials, should they refuse to comply. Why are our parliamentarians not using the few teeth they have?