Musanhi speaks on 'defying lockdown' video

Under fire ZANU PF politburo member and Bindura North legislator Kenneth Musanhi has spoken on defying Covid-19 regulations after his video went viral on social media.

Through an email, Musanhi demanded a retraction of the video and the article claiming that the video was shot sometime in November 2020. The video shows him singing and walking around, surrounded by a crowd of people who are seen sitting less than a metre apart, most without facial coverings.

"The video uploaded by your reporter was circulated in our local WhatsApp groups in November 2020 not on Wednesday as stated in the article. I last went to Bindura around Mid December 2020," Musanhi said

"I last visited Sawmill a long time ago, that video was shot at Chiwaridzo Farm and NOT Dawmill farm.

District Coordinating Committee was recently elected in December 2020 and no such rally was hosted by Bindura DCC.

We were at Level 1 during the period when we distributed seed and shot that video," he added.

ZANU PF supporters who spoke to Bulawayo24.com rubbished Musanhi's defence saying gatherings were limited in November and he was indeed at the farm.

"He is under fire and trying to deny that the video is recent. In November we had limited gatherings and DCC was not elected but on the video, he has the elected DCC, a clear indication that the video is recent," said a source who declined to be named.

However, if recent, the gathering was not observing Covid-19 regulations as evident in the video.

No social distancing was observed and most of those in attendance did not mask up as required by law and COVID-19 guidelines.



Musanhi is no stranger to controversy and in October 2019 he nearly exchanged blows with Kazembe Kazembe in front of First Lady Auxilia Mnangagwa after accusations and counter-accusations of failing to mobilize support for the first lady's funfair program were exchanged between the two.

Musanhi is believed to be leading a faction working against the provincial chairman and Minister of Home Affairs Kazembe Kazembe. The infighting has caused serious rifts in the revolutionary party.

The politburo member is, however, sending a series of threats to this publication and some of his supporters are harassing and threatening reporter Simbarashe Sithole in a bid to have the article retracted.

"We have at our disposal lawyers and other media houses we can engage to express our displeasure but we feel it is unwise to further publicize a fabrication to an even wider audience," wrote the MP.