Clemence Chiduwa

Clemence Chiduwa also lectured at Midlands State University, Namibia University of Science and Technology, and the University of Namibia. He was sworn in as Deputy Minister of Finance and Economic Development on 11 November 2019.^[1]

In October 2023, Chiduwa was named the new Chairperson of the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Budget, Finance, and Investment Promotion in the 10th Parliament of Zimbabwe.

Events

Foreign Currency Auction System

Delays in foreign currency payments to companies under the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe auction facility, of up to two months, caused alarm, and led to a court case in June 2021. The foreign currency auction system, introduced in 2020 by the central bank was hailed as a ‘game-changer’ in alleviating shortages of forex and boosting transparency and efficiency in the foreign currency market. However, during the Wednesday National Assembly question-and-answer session, MPs accused government of lying that it had disbursed money to the affected companies, adding that some of them had gone for a month without getting their dues. Harare North MP Rusty Markham] (MDC Alliance) said: “Last week, we were told by the Deputy Minister of Finance (Clemence Chiduwa) that all the money due from the auction system had been paid. Has this, indeed, happened, and have the banks paid their customers? What is government policy to ensure that customers are given the allocations they applied for?” Markham said in his research with big banks, he discovered that they were eight weeks behind in the allocation of foreign currency through the facility. But Dzivarasekwa MP Edwin Mushoriwa (MDC Alliance) said government had given the impression that all was in order in the foreign currency auction system.

Leader of government business in the National Assembly, Justice minister Ziyambi Ziyambi in response said government policy was that those accessing the funds through the facility would be notified by their banks.
Speaker of the National Assembly Jacob Mudenda ruled that the Finance minister should investigate the problems and ensure corrective action is taken to deal with the delays. ^[2]

References