AT least five Zanu PF bigwigs are on the brink of being expelled from the party following revelations of fraud and self-enrichment in a diamond money scam involving more than US$750 000, part of which they allegedly used to bankroll luxurious lifestyles.
Faith Zaba/Herbert Moyo
The five, who include Manicaland provincial chairperson Mike Madiro, ousted provincial youth chairperson Tawanda Mukodza, provincial youth secretary for security Admire Mahachi, provincial youth secretary for information Masimba Kangai and former district coordinating committee member Clever Muparutsa, appeared before a provincial disciplinary committee chaired by Zanu PF Manicaland vice chairperson Dorothy Mabika last Friday, and again this week.
Mabika has since submitted her report to the party’s national chairperson Simon Khaya Moyo.
Zanu PF national secretary for administration Didymus Mutasa said: “We have received reports to that effect (the US$750 00 fraud) and there is a committee that is investigating the matter chaired by Mai Mabika.”
Madiro and his colleagues are facing allegations of soliciting money from diamond mining companies in Chiadzwa, Mbada Diamonds and Anjin, purportedly for party activities, including preparations for the party’s annual people’s conference in Gweru last December.
Contacted for comment yesterday, Madiro said: “I have no comment; write what you like.”
According to correspondence between acting police Commissioner-General Levi Sibanda, acting President Joice Mujuru, Khaya Moyo and Mabika, the five allegedly converted the money to their own use in a fraudulent scheme for personal gain which involved the buying of houses, vehicles and other properties.
Highly placed sources told the Independent Madiro, who is said to be a protégé of Defence minister Emmerson Mnangagwa in his fight with Mujuru for control of the party, was set to be fired from his position last week.
However sources said Mnangagwa and Zanu PF Women’s League boss Oppah Muchinguri fought in his corner and successfully argued that a provincial disciplinary hearing be first conducted before making recommendations to the politburo.
Mukodza was the first major casualty after youth secretary Absalom Sikhosana signed his dismissal letter following a vote of no-confidence.
The provincial disciplinary committee was set up under Mabika, who summoned Madiro and the others to a hearing held last week in Mutare.
The Independent was shown a copy of a letter signed by Mabika inviting Madiro to appear before a disciplinary hearing on January 12 at 10am to “answer allegations of acts of fraud and corruption associated with you”.
Sources said Madiro and his accomplices approached Mbada Diamonds and another unnamed diamond company to solicit funds for the Zanu PF annual people’s conference held in Gweru last December, and were money which they allegedly converted to their own use.
It is alleged Mbada gave them US$300 000 while the other unnamed company gave them US$450 000 which they shared amongst themselves.
The saga only came to light after one of them reported the matter to Mutare police after being paid less than what he expected from the US$450 000.
When the Independent approached one of the accused provincial executives who requested anonymity, he said: “There were no problems in sharing the first US$300 000 but matters only came to a head when we received far less than we anticipated of our share of the US$450 000.”
Sources said a third diamond company (believed to be Anjin) insisted on depositing its donation of US$400 000 into a Zanu PF bank account.
When the matter was reported to the police, Sibanda wrote to Mujuru in a two-lined letter — with the police report attached – seeking advice on what action to take since the issue involved party bigwigs.
Mujuru then wrote to Khaya Moyo telling him to take action. Khaya Moyo subsequently met with the national disciplinary committee of which Mnangagwa is a member.
It was at this meeting that Mnangagwa and Muchinguri allegedly shot down the idea of sacking Madiro, arguing that the case be first dealt with by the provincial disciplinary committee in Manicaland.
The provincial disciplinary committee met Madiro and the four before meeting representatives of the mining companies to hear their side of the story.
Allegations are that Madiro used part of the money to complete the building of a 36-roomed mansion in Mt Pleasant along Arundel Road.
He has also bought a Volkswagen Amarok vehicle, whose price ranges between US$48 000 and US$56 000, sources said.
Mukodza, who used to work for the Mutare City Council before his dismissal last year, is said to have moved from his one-roomed lodgings in Sakubva to a three-bedroomed house in Hobhouse 2, in Mutare. He now reportedly drives a Toyota Nadia, among other vehicles he has since bought.
“Mukodza bought house number 4244 Hobhouse 2; two stands in the Border-View suburb; another near 3 Brigade in Chikanga and St Joseph all in Mutare,” said the source.
However, a relative of Mukodza, Timothy Mukodza phoned the Independent yesterday claiming that he was the rightful owner of number 4244 Hobhouse 2.
Sources said either Arda chairman Basil Nyabadza, who is being pushed by Mutasa, or central committee member retired Lt-General Mike Nyambuya, who is seen as a neutral in the province, is likely to take over as acting chair until fresh elections are held if Madiro is fired.
Madiro was one of the six provincial chairpersons suspended over the Tsholotsho declaration in 2004 at which a plot to propel Mnangagwa to the vice presidency was allegedly hatched after the death of Vice President Simon Muzenda.
Haiwawo!, ava vakangowdya zvavo ye donation. Tumhutwa utwu twavakangozvibatsirawo natwo. Vachangofirawo mafufu se makonzo. Kune shangwiti chaidzo dziri ku looter zvemandoro kwati. Chokwadi here kuti kambhani inga donete $300000 kana $450000 vashandi vachidya nhoko dze zvironda? Vashandi ve hurumende vachichemawo neuku zvihinzi hakuna mari. Hamheno zviri kwamuri imi mhuri ye Zimbabwe.
This journal is in English and someone makes a comment, wholly in Shona. Does it not occur to him that some of the readers can’t understand what he is writing. Surely Kwayedza would do nicely for comments in Shona
Nothing wrong in writing in a language one is totally comfortable with. This is a Zim paper with limited international readership so the target audience will most definitely understand Shona.
Ah iwe JoJo uribenzi remunhu, munhu otadza kutaura nerurimi rwamoms vake here…haagonezve kunyora chirungu asi anepfungwa dzake…zvebasa rei. Get a life mhani nxaaaaa
I concur with you George,it’s meant to be an interactive forum where all readers participate.The sad thing is that on a balance of probability,the writer would converse in English with a caucasian,proficient in the language or not!
herbert , well said
Zanu should also investigate the $3 million given to another ZANU bigwig by Zimplats, but never reached party coffers. Madam VP its in you best interest to findout who this person is.
George isu vamwe hatinyare nechirudzi chedu, translation we are proud to be who we are and dont take pride in other peaople’s languages
small minds achieve nothing , but greater minds aspire for more , you should heed my advice its free
zvatanga. Zvinobuda zvose nyararai zvenyu mhuri yezim.wat goes around surely comes around. Its good that it hs come out towards elections so ppl can choose better leaders. To hel w pf. Rovera madiro pasi. Bwaaaaa!
This level of corruption is treasonous. This is why there can never be progress. These criminals should serve jail sentences now. And those backing them should be investigated. Mugabe should descend heavily on them although this is only the proverbial tip of the iceberg. Also investigate Obert Mpofu whose head has doubled in size and whose neck has disappeared due to fat.
if the father is stealing truly how can he condem his children and i agree with every thing you say only difference is i believe corruption starts at the head and not the neck
corruption, dishonest, wat a disgrace! wat doz robert do, nothing! yes m a proud shona, (karanga), bt lets bear in mind those tht cnt read/understand it!
Ndineurombo ne vanhu vakaita savana Joji. Vanosafa neiya inonzi pachirungu chavo infiriyoriti komplexi. Vanoona kunge chirungu chinoshamisira kwazvo. Kana pamisangano yavo pazere vanaambuya navanaasekuru pasina kana ne murungu zvake unonzwa voti ‘Here this, here that’. Voti zve ‘Pasi ne ma British’, ‘Zimbabwe will never be a colony again’. Hamunyare, colonisation yakagodza haichabuda mumisoro yenyu kana zvenyu moita sei. Ko kana zvangu ndakachidofora chirungu chacho pa ‘O’ revuru wondimanikidza kuchinyora chichindinetsa kudaro? Iwe ka iwe ‘kwana’.
Muudze hako shamwari kamunhu kekupi kanoda kuonererwa izvezv chiringu chacho kakazvambuka
You stupid man, Zimbabwe is already a chinese colony. Are you so blind that you cannot see that mugabe has given this country to the chinese?
Wonder why the police have not moved in. I am sure they think they could open a Pandora’s box with the real bigwigs implicated. Fraud is fraud and the police must move with the same speed they employ against MDC supporters.
Havasi maBig wig ava, ndivanapunha. Kana tichitaura mabigwig ekuZanu tinenge tichitaura ana AMutasa, ana Ngwena, ana Khaya, nevamwe vaviri varikumusoro kwavo. Aiwa kamukomana keKwaMutare. Mushandisewoka chingezi chamkadai kuzvipira nemazvo nhai veduwee.
Most shona people are tribalist,they think they are the most superior tribe in Zimbabwe
Ko zvaita sei nhai Hubert.
Ko kumboti Zimbabwe chirudzii nhai hubert is it Angel
I live in bulawayo,they do want to talk ndebele,I don’t know why,me I have never lived in a shona speaking area but I speak shona
It is a Zimbabwean paper printed in English so it should go without saying. If in doubt comment in Kwayedza http://www.kwayedza.co.zw
Back to the article if Zanu PF bigwigs face the boot then there should be many more getting the boot starting at the top in state house. Stories like this always make me laugh because they make no logical sense how can a thief accuse another thief of being a thief.
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