Correspondent
The Zimbabwe Miners Federation (ZMF) has set up a special committee to probe alleged “secret” foreign currency bank accounts operated by suspended president, Henrietta Rushwaya without the knowledge of the federation.
ZMF general secretary, Philemon Mokuele has revealed that on the side-lines of a management committee meeting held in Gweru where part of the resolutions made was to suspend Rushawaya and secretary for external affairs, Gift Karanda.
ZMF general secretary, Philemon Mokuele
Mokuele said miners were depositing their fees in the accounts amid fears that the ZMF members could have been duped of thousands of US dollars in the clandestine operations.
“In the meeting the treasurer general highlighted that there were CBZ nostro accounts, where miners deposited fees,” said Mokuele.
“We then discovered that these accounts were not official hence our decision to set up a special committee headed by the treasurer general to look into the issue as well as audit all the federation’s accounts.”
The alleged “secret” account numbers used with CBZ are 01122525790025 and 01122525790035.
Rushwaya was early this week arrested after attempting to smuggle 6 kgs of gold to Dubai.
In relieving Rushwaya of her duties Mr Makumba Nyenje, the national chairperson of ZMF said: “We have suspended Henrietta Rushwaya and Gift Karanda on the allegations of attempted to smuggle gold at the Robert Mugabe international airport in Harare.”
ZMF National chairperson Makumba Nyenje
“We deemed it fit to act as we were left with no option because the allegations against her damages the reputation of the organization even if she was doing this on her own.”
He added: “We have elevated the first vice president Mr Marufu Sithole to the position of acting president pending finalization of the court case or the expiry of the term of office of Rushwaya because she was elected into office for 3 years and it’s coming to an end on 14 June 2021.”
“As of now it’s just a suspension because we will be guided by the court verdict as well as our constitution section 6 sub section 12 sub section 4, which provides that if a member is found guilty be it of any criminal offense he\she seizes to be a member of the national executive. We wait for the court verdict to see whether we implement the provisions of that of our section or we simply revert back to the original positions that we were,” said Nyenje.
He said some of the members alleged that they deposited their money for the Glow petroleum deal.
“We had the Glow petroleum deal whereby miners would buy fuel in forex around the country but the treasurer general doesn’t even know all about this money, so we have tasked the special team to make investigations.
There was a challenge in the board meeting whereby all the board members and the executive don’t even know about this license that is circulating on the social media that we have a license for ZMF Dubai.
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Rumours were indicating that the license has got Rushwaya’s name, her son, Gift Karanda and Takarasha the CEO, we don’t even know who approved those people to be on the ZMF and the treasure general is the one who expect to know all the details as of the finances but he indicated that he never even saw that license with his own eyes,” said Mokuele