By Paul Nyathi|Flamboyant ZANU PF Central Committee member and Zimbabwe Football Association chairman Philip Chiyangwa is demanding a whopping $1 million dollars for defamation of character from ZANU PF Harare Provincial Women’s League leader Ratizo Mukarati.
Chiyangwa is raising the claims on Mukarati who ZANU PF supporters are calling the “New Grace Mugabe” over utterances she made against him at a ZANU PF women’s interface rally with President Emmerson Mnangagwa last week.
Mukarati who sections of the ZANU PF supporters have accused of behaving like the former First Lady Grace Mugabe by attacking senior party members in public demanded that President Mnangagwa arrests Chiyangwa who she accused of being a land baron who symphonies money from fellow party supporters.
Mukarati claimed that Chiyangwa corruptly acquired land in Harare South and was selling it at exorbitant prices to party members.
Presenting a report to President Mnangagwa during the meeting in Harare last Thursday, Mukarati said Chiyangwa has brought untold suffering to party supporters in the Harare South constituency.
“In Harare South the issue of residential stands is a big issue because of Chiyangwa who claims to be one of us,” said Mukarati.
“Zanu PF political heavyweights like Chiyangwa, Mr President are abusing party supporters after he corruptly bought land which once belonged to the State.
“He (Chiyangawa) is now demanding more money from party supporters who have already bought those housing stands as cooperatives and those who can’t afford are being chased away with their houses and properties being destroyed.”
She added; “These people are now living in poverty and struggling with nowhere to live and these are the same people who voted for Zanu PF in 2013.”
Responding to the reports, Mnangagwa said he has commissioned a land inquiry, adding that once the report is out those found on the wrong side of the law will be prosecuted.
“This report will be made public and I can assure you even those that you have mentioned (Chiyangwa) here, if he is found to have corruptly acquired (land) he will be prosecuted.”
Writing through his lawyers Chiyangwa expressed ignorance and non involvement in the issues raised by Mukarati demanding that she makes a public apology and withdraw the statements against him within twenty four hours or face a million dollar lawsuit from him.
The deadline expired on Sunday and at the time of writing Mukarati had not yet given the public apology and withdrawal of her statements.
ZimEye.com efforts to get a comment from both Chiyangwa and Mukarati were not successful at the time of writing.