Gideon Gono obeys Biti directive

From ZimEye - By Moses Muchemwa, 21st April, 2009

Harare (ZimEye) - Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe Governor, Gideon Gono has recalled the vehicles he had allocated to MPs after Finance Minister Tendai Biti ordered that the Members of Parliament who accepted the vehicles return them by end of business Monday.

In a statement released Monday by Gono, Biti wants the cars to be parked at the Ministry of Finance parking bays at the New Government Complex in Harare and the keys be handed over to Biti’s office on the 6th Floor of the building.

Gono offered MPs second hand cars from the RBZ but the idea came under intense scrutiny with sources saying the RBZ boss wanted to cover for his clandestine dealings.

“Honourable Members (MPs) are hereby advised that failure to meet this deadline may cause Hon. Minister of Finance to invoke measures that would be designed to ensure total compliance,” wrote Gono.

Sources said the move by Biti was meant to investigate Gono over the alleged abuse of funds by the central bank chief.

However, Gono reacted angrily saying the level of persecution of the RBZ governor and his team had reached astounding and reaching critical levels.

“All this is being done in an effort to show that the Central Bank Governor allegedly killed this economy single handedly, while the rest of 12,5 million Zimbabweans and all companies stood as victims of the Reserve Bank,” he said. Under the inclusive government, Gono is supposed to be fired so that donors pour in financial aid, highly placed government sources said. (ZimEye, Zimbabwe)