By A Correspondent- Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services, Nick Mangwana, has clarified the position that media practitioner Acie Lumumba was recently given in the fight against COVID-19.
There was a furore from Zanu-PF supporters Saturday after it emerged that Lumumba, real name Gerald Mutumanje, had landed top Government job as a director at the national COVID-19 call centre.
The Zanu-PF youths, led by a prominent supporter of President Emmerson Mnangagwa called Jones Musara, had complained that Lumumba was not supportive of the President’s programmes and did not deserve the government job aheas of loyal and more consistent party cadres.
Responding to the complaints, Mangwana said: “Acie works for Innscor and is leading their Corporate Social Investment. He was not employed by Govt or offered a job. They are refurbishing a number of clinics around the country among other CSI.”
Pictures of Acie Lumumba standing next to President Mnangagwa, coupled with videos of Health and Child Care Minister Obadiah Moyo openly praising Lumumba’s “great communication skills” emerged on social media, angering some hard-line Zanu-PF Varakashi who insist they have been way more loyal but haven’t been recognized.
Jones Musara literally got his knickers in a twist over Lumumba’s appointment.
“We are going to tell Minister Obadiah Moyo that he has been misled to reward disloyal elements. Live and direct. Make no mistake about that. Enough of this nonsense of rewarding disloyal elements whilst blocking loyalists!” Musara fumed.
He added that Lumumba has been Lumumba has been “handed a post” despite evidence that he has been bashing President Emmerson Mnangagwa and openly supporting fugitive G40 frontman Saviour Kasukuwere’s political project.
Jones Musara went on: “Kana kurakasha President ED kusina basa, then let us know! (Let us know if bashing the President no longer worries Zanu-PF)
“It’s wrong to reward vanorakasha President ED. Very wrong. Very wrong. Very wrong. Very wrong.”
Musara went further and distanced President Mnangagwa from Lumumba’s comeback, pinning it squarely on those who are around the Head of State.