Zanu-PF thieves in hot soup

PRESIDENT Mugabe yesterday revealed that all party officials and senior civil events involved in corruption face arrest if incriminating evidence is gathered.

Mugabe made the remarks in his keynote speech marking the official opening of Zanu PF's sixth national congress in Harare.

"All those implicated in corruption cases shall be arrested if substantial evidence is gathered," Mugabe said.

"Even if you are a minister, deputy minister of senior civil servant, you will be fired."

Mugabe's comments were seen as targeted at embattled Vice-President Joice Mujuru and her allies, who for the past three months have been accused of engaging in corrupt activities and seeking to unconstitutionally topple the Zanu PF leader.

Mujuru and her close allies like Presidential Affairs minister and Zanu PF secretary for administration Didymus Mutasa as well as politburo member and Labour minister Nicholas Goche were conspicuous by their absence at the congress forcing the party to rearrange the top table where Mugabe could have cut a forlorn figure.

Senate president Edna Madzongwe and Speaker of the National Assembly Jacob Mudenda were quickly elevated to the top table.