News / National
'Zanu-PF assets looted'
17 Jan 2015 at 11:58hrs | Views
Disgraced former Zanu-PF national secretary for administration Didymus Mutasa is in the eye of a possible corruption storm as party insiders demand an audit to verify the status of Zanu-PF assets in Makoni which they fear might have been looted or whose proceeds creamed off during his reign.
The Manica Post was on Wednesday inundated by a chorus of calls from Zanu-PF supporters from Mutasa's home district, who described the dethroned godfather of Manicaland as a politician without any ostensible means of livelihood who could have been busy abusing his positions in the party and Government to loot the revolutionary party's assets.
This follows revelations that the former Presidential Affairs minister was still getting rich pickings from a Zanu-PF commercial property and service station at Number 28 Tongogara Street in Rusape.
Mutasa is alleged to have had the property referred to as Edro Motors under his thumb, changing leasees at will.
War veterans' leader for Makoni Mike Makiweni revealed on Wednesday that a lot of questions were being raised over how Mutasa assumed control of the property.
He added that party supporters in Makoni were demanding explanations on how Mutasa used proceeds from the party properties.
Mutasa is also alleged to have used force to take over a building from Mr Rajoo Nathoo and handed it over to Simudza Makoni Youth Association. He then facilitated a lease for socialite Cleopas Mugomba, after the youths squabbled over proceeds from the property.
Mugomba, who has a valid lease agreement until 2017 with ZIDCO Holdings, a commercial arm of Zanu-PF, was kicked out unceremoniously by Mutasa.
He was replaced by Ms Mandi Majoni and the disgraced politician's personal assistant, Mrs Christine Murembwe.
The two parties have for the past months been involved in a catfight over the property. At least $15 000 is collected in monthly rentals from flea market vendors, with Mugomba claiming that the large chunk was going into Mutasa's pockets.
"Zanu-PF is getting peanuts, with Mutasa getting the larger piece of the cake. Despite our valid lease with M and S Syndicate, Mutasa would instruct us to pay his youths numbering 20 monthly incentives of between $100 and $200," revealed Mugomba.
"Majoni is a front for Mutasa. He is creaming off proceeds from the properties through her. His conduct must be investigated. We cannot let money go to people with sinister political agendas to overthrow the President of the Republic. Mutasa was overriding us, saying he was Zanu-PF, hence the building was his," said Mugomba.
Mutasa could not be reached for a comment as his mobile phone was unreachable.
Ms Majoni was recently barred from changing the name of the building to Wazvare Showroom and Nyati Service Station. Vazvare is a term used to refer to daughters of the Makoni (Nyati) dynasty.
Persistent efforts to get a comment from Ms Majoni were futile, with her mobile phone not reachable on Wednesday.
A check at Rusape Town Council revealed that Zanu-PF has other properties in Makoni which Mutasa kept under wraps and whose proceeds could not be accounted for.
The properties include House Number 586 Arcacia Avenue, House Number 165 Mbuya Nehanda (Cold Comfort Farm Trust), three houses in Vengere namely VE 353, VE 364 and VE 365.
Mutasa's confidante Annah Kavhu was allegedly collecting proceeds from a women's league shop at the main bus terminus and the league's house (NE 380).
The status of industrial stand Number 82 Maungwe Street, formally Nelia Grinding Mill as well as commercial property at Number 28 Tongogara St, remains unclear and so is the status of a number of houses the party acquired from Dorowa Minerals in Nyazura.
"Zanu-PF supporters want an audit of its assets. We want to know how Mutasa ended up controlling all the party assets in the district and how the proceeds were used," said Makiweni.
Zanu-PF provincial deputy secretary for legal affairs Joseph Mujati said carrying out a forensic audit was the surest way of exposing the rot.
Mujati expressed fears that some of the properties might have changed hands and ownership.
"If the properties indeed belong to the party and if anyone was benefiting from them either through rentals, free occupation or whatever use without the express authority of the party, then that or those individuals prejudiced the party. It is called theft and if this was done through craft misrepresentation, then it is fraud and both are serious and punishable offences," said Mujati.
Mujati added: "Worse still, if such a person is the one tasked with the protection of the party's interests."
The Manica Post was on Wednesday inundated by a chorus of calls from Zanu-PF supporters from Mutasa's home district, who described the dethroned godfather of Manicaland as a politician without any ostensible means of livelihood who could have been busy abusing his positions in the party and Government to loot the revolutionary party's assets.
This follows revelations that the former Presidential Affairs minister was still getting rich pickings from a Zanu-PF commercial property and service station at Number 28 Tongogara Street in Rusape.
Mutasa is alleged to have had the property referred to as Edro Motors under his thumb, changing leasees at will.
War veterans' leader for Makoni Mike Makiweni revealed on Wednesday that a lot of questions were being raised over how Mutasa assumed control of the property.
He added that party supporters in Makoni were demanding explanations on how Mutasa used proceeds from the party properties.
Mutasa is also alleged to have used force to take over a building from Mr Rajoo Nathoo and handed it over to Simudza Makoni Youth Association. He then facilitated a lease for socialite Cleopas Mugomba, after the youths squabbled over proceeds from the property.
Mugomba, who has a valid lease agreement until 2017 with ZIDCO Holdings, a commercial arm of Zanu-PF, was kicked out unceremoniously by Mutasa.
He was replaced by Ms Mandi Majoni and the disgraced politician's personal assistant, Mrs Christine Murembwe.
The two parties have for the past months been involved in a catfight over the property. At least $15 000 is collected in monthly rentals from flea market vendors, with Mugomba claiming that the large chunk was going into Mutasa's pockets.
"Zanu-PF is getting peanuts, with Mutasa getting the larger piece of the cake. Despite our valid lease with M and S Syndicate, Mutasa would instruct us to pay his youths numbering 20 monthly incentives of between $100 and $200," revealed Mugomba.
"Majoni is a front for Mutasa. He is creaming off proceeds from the properties through her. His conduct must be investigated. We cannot let money go to people with sinister political agendas to overthrow the President of the Republic. Mutasa was overriding us, saying he was Zanu-PF, hence the building was his," said Mugomba.
Mutasa could not be reached for a comment as his mobile phone was unreachable.
Ms Majoni was recently barred from changing the name of the building to Wazvare Showroom and Nyati Service Station. Vazvare is a term used to refer to daughters of the Makoni (Nyati) dynasty.
Persistent efforts to get a comment from Ms Majoni were futile, with her mobile phone not reachable on Wednesday.
A check at Rusape Town Council revealed that Zanu-PF has other properties in Makoni which Mutasa kept under wraps and whose proceeds could not be accounted for.
The properties include House Number 586 Arcacia Avenue, House Number 165 Mbuya Nehanda (Cold Comfort Farm Trust), three houses in Vengere namely VE 353, VE 364 and VE 365.
Mutasa's confidante Annah Kavhu was allegedly collecting proceeds from a women's league shop at the main bus terminus and the league's house (NE 380).
The status of industrial stand Number 82 Maungwe Street, formally Nelia Grinding Mill as well as commercial property at Number 28 Tongogara St, remains unclear and so is the status of a number of houses the party acquired from Dorowa Minerals in Nyazura.
"Zanu-PF supporters want an audit of its assets. We want to know how Mutasa ended up controlling all the party assets in the district and how the proceeds were used," said Makiweni.
Zanu-PF provincial deputy secretary for legal affairs Joseph Mujati said carrying out a forensic audit was the surest way of exposing the rot.
Mujati expressed fears that some of the properties might have changed hands and ownership.
"If the properties indeed belong to the party and if anyone was benefiting from them either through rentals, free occupation or whatever use without the express authority of the party, then that or those individuals prejudiced the party. It is called theft and if this was done through craft misrepresentation, then it is fraud and both are serious and punishable offences," said Mujati.
Mujati added: "Worse still, if such a person is the one tasked with the protection of the party's interests."
Source - manicapost
