Mines Ministry Secretary, Pfungwa Kunaka Accused Of Circumventing Granite Export Ban
The Mines and Mining Development Ministry permanent secretary, Pfungwa Kunaka, is accused of issuing a company called Inducon a waiver to continue the export of raw granite, despite a Government ban.
The Government banned the export of raw granite through Statutory Instrument 127 of 2022.
However, Kunaka reportedly issued a six-month waiver to Inducon to continue the raw export of granite, while shutting out others.
According to ZimLive, four other companies – Rich Mark, Southern Granite, Quarrying Enterprises and Natural Stone – were denied the waiver and advised to seek cabinet approval.
Inducon’s preferential treatment reportedly came after a closed meeting with Kunaka.
ZimLive reported sources as saying applications for waivers by other miners including Quarrying Enterprises, Ilford Investments, Legacy, and Xeona Granite remain unprocessed.
A source within the Ministry of Mines, who prefers to remain anonymous, was quoted as saying:
Granite exporters are questioning why Inducon Investments was granted a six-month waiver to export raw granite while the ban on raw granite exportation was put in place in 2022.
The only exceptions for exportation were supposed to be based on the production of a value addition plan and a contract with MMCZ, with a waiver period limited to three months.
The source has labelled this situation as “abuse of office and corruption.”
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