By A Correspondent- A Zanu PF commission of inquiry set up by President Emmerson Mnangagwa in August last year to investigate bigwigs accused of corruption by the party’s youth league has not met since then to deal with the matter.
Mnangagwa directed all provinces to nominate central committee members to the 10-member commission following the decision by the youth league to name and shame people it accused of corruption.
The commission included William Mutomba (Manicaland), Sheilla Mabasa, (Mashonaland West), Hillary Masaiti Mombeshora (Mashonaland Central), Max Zvidzai (Midlands), Tshinga Dube (Bulawayo), Rodwell Zinyemba (Mashonaland East), Sibangumuzi Khumalo (Matabeleland North), Patrick Hove (Matabeleland South) and Clemence Makwarimba (Masvingo).
Dube, who is also a Zanu-PF politburo member, confirmed to a local publication that the committee was yet to meet to discuss the issue.
“We never sat as a committee, it’s true. When the president appointed us we were happy to take up the task, but we needed some leadership. We didn’t know who the leader of this group was. We are waiting to hear from the president,” said Dube.
The former War Veterans’ minister and chief executive of Zimbabwe Defence Industries (ZDI) added that it was important for the team to work with the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (Zacc).
“We also have to hear from the chairperson of Zacc. I think we cannot deal with corruption without her (Zacc chairperson Justice Loice Matanda-Moyo). She will give us points of reference, but we never wrote a letter to Zacc,” he said.
Zanu-PF youth league deputy secretary Lewis Matutu told the Daily News yesterday that there was need for the commission to immediately fulfil its mandate in order to restore public confidence.
“We want the committee to take action so that the public can continue to have confidence in the party. The party must be on the forefront in the battle against corruption.
‘We are eagerly and impatiently waiting for the committee to deal with the issue.
“This matter must be concluded so that we can continue to fight corruption as youths. It’s an issue that we will raise in our internal platforms. We are worried about the delays. We want the matter to be looked into with urgency,” Matutu said.
Matutu threatened to name and shame more corrupt bigwigs if the ruling party fails to decisively deal with graft.
“We have warned these people previously and this is the second and last time before we name and shame them. The same cartels we named last year are continuing, they have connections.
“We cannot continue to suffer like this, with salaries of public sector workers being affected and putting pressure on the government.
“We know them by name and some of them are in the private sector. They are taking advantage of government programmes to access cash … that is why the rates have shot up because they have cash to buy foreign currency on the black market. We are watching them,” added Matutu.
Last year, the ruling party youths named individuals, private sector executives and party bigwigs it claimed were corrupt.
Some of the bigwigs named include Zanu-PF secretary for administration Obert Mpofu, together with former ministers Joram Gumbo and Prisca Mupfumira. Mpofu has since taken Matutu to court on defamation charges.
Mupfumira was subsequently arrested on allegations of looting the National Social Security Authority, while Gumbo was briefly arrested and released by Zacc, again on charges of graft.
Mupfumira is on bail, while Zacc says it is still investigating Gumbo.
-DailyNews