Correspondent

Former tourism minister, Walter Mzembi has demanded that President Emmerson Mnangagwa explains how arrested local businessman Delish Nguwaya holds a diplomatic passport

Nguwaya is currently in remand prison after he was denied bail when he was arrested over a week ago on charges of fraudulently acquiring a US$42 million tender to supply Covid-19 testing kits and equipment to the government.

The government has been strenuously trying to dismiss claims that Nguwaya has close links to President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s family, in particular his son, Collins.

Mzembi said during his tenure as tourism minister, he struggled but failed to facilitate one for world-acclaimed Zimbabwean musician, the late Oliver Mtukudzi.

“Mr. President! Please explain why this thief holds a diplomatic passport?” Mzembi asked.

“Despite repeated pleas and submissions for Oliver Mtukudzi to the then Foreign Affairs Minister Simbarashe Mmbengegwi to consider a diplomatic passport for this cultural icon (Mtukudzi), my ministry and ZTA (Zimbabwe Tourism Authority), were given a flat NO. Uyu (Nguwaya) akazokosha kupfura Tuku nhai? (So, Nguwaya is more important than Tuku!”

Diplomatic passports are issued by the President at his mercy and are a preserve of government ministers, senior government officials, and selected MPs.