By Political Reporter- Zanu PF spokesperson Christopher Mutsvangwa has deflected attention away from the US$15 billion diamond money looted by Emmerson Mnangagwa and the Junta in 2015.
Instead of addressing the lingering questions surrounding the alleged looting of US$15 billion in diamond revenue by Emmerson Mnangagwa and his associates in 2015, Mutsvangwa chose to shift the focus onto the late President Robert Mugabe, accusing him of depleting the country’s gold reserves.
The accusations stem from Mugabe’s assertions in 2016, where he publicly stated that Mnangagwa and the ruling junta had siphoned off a staggering sum of US$15 billion from the nation’s diamond industry, largely through junta-operated diamond mining ventures in Chiyadzwa.
Mugabe’s revelations, made during a birthday interview on state-run media, shed light on the stark disparity between the actual revenue received by the state treasury and the estimated earnings from diamond exports.
The former president’s remarks underscored not only the magnitude of the alleged embezzlement but also the systemic failure to effectively manage the country’s mineral wealth, drawing comparisons to neighbouring nations such as Botswana, Namibia, and Angola.
Despite these damning revelations, Mutsvangwa opted to redirect attention during a press briefing in Harare, implicating Mugabe in the depletion of Zimbabwe’s gold reserves.
Mutsvangwa’s narrative centred on a convoluted tale involving a retired governor, purportedly Gideon Gono, and external actors in the Arab world offering US dollars in exchange for Zimbabwe’s gold reserves amid Western sanctions.
While Mutsvangwa’s accusations against Mugabe grabbed headlines, they failed to address the pressing concerns surrounding Mnangagwa’s alleged involvement in the misappropriation of diamond revenue.
Critics argue that Mutsvangwa’s deflection serves to shield Mnangagwa and his cohorts from accountability, perpetuating a culture of impunity within Zimbabwean politics.
In contrast, Mnangagwa himself recently sought to reassure the public regarding the country’s gold reserves, emphasising their solidity and hinting at offshore inspections.
However, these reassurances do little to assuage concerns regarding the opaque nature of Zimbabwe’s mineral wealth management.
Former RBZ governor Gideon Gono has dismissed Mutsvangwa’s accusations, further clouding the narrative surrounding the alleged corruption and mismanagement within Zimbabwe’s economic and political spheres.
As the nation grapples with these revelations, calls for transparency and accountability continue to resonate among Zimbabweans seeking genuine reform and progress.
-ZimEye