News / National
Arrests rock Zanu-PF
21 Nov 2014 at 08:02hrs | Views
The ruling Zanu-PF party, embroiled in a bitter leadership wrangle ahead of an elective congress set for early December, was yesterday rocked by the arrests of two top leaders in Manicaland on allegations of theft of trust funds.
The two, deposed provincial chairperson Joyline Porusingazi, wife to suspended central committee member Enoch Porusingazi, and former treasurer Pedigree Matara , were last night languishing in police custody after the alleged disappearance of $55 000 meant for party women's league programmes, amid revelations the money was diverted for covert factional operations.
Mujuru, reportedly leading a faction angling to topple President Robert Mugabe from power, is under increasing pressure to resign amid a litany of accusations, including some bordering on treason.
Enoch Chishiri, Manicaland provincial police spokesperson, was reluctant to comment on the matter.
"I have not heard anything about the case you are talking about. Get the information from the courts," said Chishiri.
Mujuru is locked in a bitter war for power allegedly against Justice minister Emmerson Mnangagwa, who is reportedly leading another faction as the succession battle threatens to boil over in the ruling party.
Impeccable sources within the police in Manicaland yesterday confirmed the arrests and the efforts from Mujuru's alleged side-kick, Didymus Mutasa, Zanu-PF's secretary for administration, to stop investigations into the matter that involves the disappearance of $55 000.
"It is true Porusingazi and Matara have been arrested
over the issue. Mutasa wanted the investigating officers transferred in a bid to have the case killed. It is an embarrassing incident because the money was allegedly used to fund the Mujuru faction's activities during and in the run-up to the women's league elective congress in August," one of the sources told The Zimbabwe Mail.
Contacted for comment on the matter, Mutasa curtly replied: "I have no idea of that incident and have not been involved in any way."
Mutasa survived the on-going purge by the skin of his teeth in the politburo last week, but his acolyte, Rugare Gumbo, then party spokesperson, was suspended for five years.
Gumbo joined nine provincial chairpersons who have been axed from office in the ruling party.
Acting Zanu-PF women's league chairperson Happiness Nyakuedzwa confirmed the arrests, but would not provide details.
"It happened, but I am not in a position to say much on the issue. You need to talk to the right people," said Nyakuedzwa.
In providing the sordid details of the scum in which Mujuru's name featured prominently, Zanu-PF insiders in Manicaland told The Zimbabwe Mail that Mutasa had indeed tried to have the case swept under the carpet with assistance from another suspended central committee member Porusingazi (Enoch).
"Mutasa and Porusingazi (Enoch) tried to get a senior police officer transferred from Mutare Central Police station in a bid to kill the case. These are clear threats to public institutions and democracy in the country," said the source.
"Sometime in June this year, the women's league opened a bank account in a bid to raise funds for their activities. A dinner dance was planned, but the provincial chairperson, Joyline Porusingazi, for reasons then known to her, kept postponing the event. Vice-President Mujuru was supposed to be guest of honour, but the event was eventually cancelled."
"Meanwhile, companies began donating money into the account while some had bought tickets in support of the dinner that was supposed to be graced by Vice-President Mujuru. At least $55 000 was raised with at least $40 000 having come from one parastatal (name supplied). From the statement that we have, Porusingazi (Joyline) and her executive began withdrawing the money and using it to fund factional activities, including booking people into hotels ahead to the women's league elective conference."
Of the $55 000, $8 000 was allegedly recovered at Matara's house, having been withdrawn about three days after the no-confidence vote that resulted in Porusingazi (Joyline) and Mutezo being kicked out.
"We were shocked that we had so much money at a time when we could (not) even afford to feed our members at the conference, let alone provide transport fares. The money was being used for vote-buying and propping up the faction because Matara told us that some of the women had been given money while on their way to Maputo, Mozambique, and told it was from the vice-president," said the insider.
Porusingazi denied the allegations.
"Why do people hate me so much? I am in Harare and was here for the party caucus. I did not even know that there were financial problems in the women's league. It is a smear campaign meant to tarnish my image," an exasperated Porusingazi (Enoch) said.
Mutasa, in the run-up to the women's league conference, was accused of using unorthodox tactics to get candidates aligned to the Mujuru faction into positions. There were alleged abductions of delegates with some claiming they had been denied access to the electorate after they had been booked into different hotels away from the venues of provincial polls.
The two, deposed provincial chairperson Joyline Porusingazi, wife to suspended central committee member Enoch Porusingazi, and former treasurer Pedigree Matara , were last night languishing in police custody after the alleged disappearance of $55 000 meant for party women's league programmes, amid revelations the money was diverted for covert factional operations.
Mujuru, reportedly leading a faction angling to topple President Robert Mugabe from power, is under increasing pressure to resign amid a litany of accusations, including some bordering on treason.
Enoch Chishiri, Manicaland provincial police spokesperson, was reluctant to comment on the matter.
"I have not heard anything about the case you are talking about. Get the information from the courts," said Chishiri.
Mujuru is locked in a bitter war for power allegedly against Justice minister Emmerson Mnangagwa, who is reportedly leading another faction as the succession battle threatens to boil over in the ruling party.
Impeccable sources within the police in Manicaland yesterday confirmed the arrests and the efforts from Mujuru's alleged side-kick, Didymus Mutasa, Zanu-PF's secretary for administration, to stop investigations into the matter that involves the disappearance of $55 000.
"It is true Porusingazi and Matara have been arrested
over the issue. Mutasa wanted the investigating officers transferred in a bid to have the case killed. It is an embarrassing incident because the money was allegedly used to fund the Mujuru faction's activities during and in the run-up to the women's league elective congress in August," one of the sources told The Zimbabwe Mail.
Contacted for comment on the matter, Mutasa curtly replied: "I have no idea of that incident and have not been involved in any way."
Mutasa survived the on-going purge by the skin of his teeth in the politburo last week, but his acolyte, Rugare Gumbo, then party spokesperson, was suspended for five years.
Acting Zanu-PF women's league chairperson Happiness Nyakuedzwa confirmed the arrests, but would not provide details.
"It happened, but I am not in a position to say much on the issue. You need to talk to the right people," said Nyakuedzwa.
In providing the sordid details of the scum in which Mujuru's name featured prominently, Zanu-PF insiders in Manicaland told The Zimbabwe Mail that Mutasa had indeed tried to have the case swept under the carpet with assistance from another suspended central committee member Porusingazi (Enoch).
"Mutasa and Porusingazi (Enoch) tried to get a senior police officer transferred from Mutare Central Police station in a bid to kill the case. These are clear threats to public institutions and democracy in the country," said the source.
"Sometime in June this year, the women's league opened a bank account in a bid to raise funds for their activities. A dinner dance was planned, but the provincial chairperson, Joyline Porusingazi, for reasons then known to her, kept postponing the event. Vice-President Mujuru was supposed to be guest of honour, but the event was eventually cancelled."
"Meanwhile, companies began donating money into the account while some had bought tickets in support of the dinner that was supposed to be graced by Vice-President Mujuru. At least $55 000 was raised with at least $40 000 having come from one parastatal (name supplied). From the statement that we have, Porusingazi (Joyline) and her executive began withdrawing the money and using it to fund factional activities, including booking people into hotels ahead to the women's league elective conference."
Of the $55 000, $8 000 was allegedly recovered at Matara's house, having been withdrawn about three days after the no-confidence vote that resulted in Porusingazi (Joyline) and Mutezo being kicked out.
"We were shocked that we had so much money at a time when we could (not) even afford to feed our members at the conference, let alone provide transport fares. The money was being used for vote-buying and propping up the faction because Matara told us that some of the women had been given money while on their way to Maputo, Mozambique, and told it was from the vice-president," said the insider.
Porusingazi denied the allegations.
"Why do people hate me so much? I am in Harare and was here for the party caucus. I did not even know that there were financial problems in the women's league. It is a smear campaign meant to tarnish my image," an exasperated Porusingazi (Enoch) said.
Mutasa, in the run-up to the women's league conference, was accused of using unorthodox tactics to get candidates aligned to the Mujuru faction into positions. There were alleged abductions of delegates with some claiming they had been denied access to the electorate after they had been booked into different hotels away from the venues of provincial polls.
Source - Zim Mail
