Maravi

(TALKZIMBABWE) Biti declares 'war' on Zanu-PF

Biti declares 'war' on Zanu-PF
By: Ralph Mutema
Posted: Thursday, March 17, 2011 7:05 am

FINANCE minister Tendai Biti has violently reacted to a statement issued by the minister of mines on Tuesday saying the issue of "missing diamond money" had been resolved.

Speaking to NewsDay on Wednesday Biti dismissed claims he had received money for civil servants’ salary increments. “If they (Zanu PF officials) want war, we will give them war,” Biti declared.

“They are creating deliberate dishonesty. They are simply trying to divert attention from real issues to do with the manner over how diamond money is being handled," he added.

Mines and Mining Development minister Obert Mpofu on Tuesday said that Treasury had received $167 million from diamond sales to cover civil servants’ salary increments.

He said a verification and reconciliation exercise had been carried out which had demonstrated that the proceeds had indeed been received by Treasurey.

Biti dismissed the claim and blamed the media for misquoting Mpofu.

“It is regrettable that certain sections of the media ... still insist on the myth of $174 million being given to Treasury.”

Biti also denied other reports claiming that he had authorised a 200% salary hikes for MPs, ministers and the Presidium, saying it was the President’s Office that was vested with the powers to do that.

“According to the Parliamentary Salaries Allowances and Benefits Act chapter 2:03 in terms of Section 6, the salaries of the Speaker of Parliament, Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Deputy Chairman of the Parliamentary Legal Committee, Vice-Presidents, senior ministers and deputy ministers are determined by the Office of the President and not the Ministry of Finance,” he said.

“To me, that ministers are getting $2 000 or whatever is fiction,” he said.

Labels: DIAMONDS, TENDAI BITI, ZANU-PF

posted by MrK @ 1:53 PM