News / National
Mugabe blows state funds on his in-laws
26 Aug 2016 at 18:14hrs | Views
PRESIDENT Robert Mugabe's government is blowing tax payers' funds by providing state security at his in law's Marlborough house, it has emerged.
Security sources said Mugabe's government was providing security to the Chikores whose son Simbarashe is married to the president's only daughter, Bona.
The development comes at a time government is struggling to raise salaries for its bloated civil service workforce which gobbles over 80% of government revenue.
Sources this week said the Chikores are being provided security by a team from the Zimbabwe Republic Police's (ZRP) Police Protection Unit (PPU) State House province, although they are not entitled to the protection.
PPU provides security to the first family and senior government or public officials such as ministers, judges, attorney general and prosecutor general among others.
The State House province concentrates on providing security to the First Family.
"ZRP officials provide evening security every day," said a senior police officer.
"Police details begin their shifts every day at 6pm in the evening until the following day at 6am in the morning."
The Chikores came into the limelight when Simbarashe married Bona in March 2014.
Government authorities, however, said the Chikores were not public officials and were therefore not entitled to receive state security.
"Why should this family be given such treatment yet they are not public officials?
This is just an abuse of resources," said a government official.
Police spokesperson Charity Charamba said she had no comment over the matter.
In June, Mugabe office also protected his in-laws when his office blocked the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Youth, Indigenisation and Economic Empowerment from investigating Sakunda Energy after being awarded the tender for the controversial Dema Diesel Power Plant.
Sakunda, owned by Zanu PF benefactor Kuda Tagwirei, partnered Mugabe's in-law Derrick, brother to Simba in the dodgy and costly deal without going to tender.
Security sources said Mugabe's government was providing security to the Chikores whose son Simbarashe is married to the president's only daughter, Bona.
The development comes at a time government is struggling to raise salaries for its bloated civil service workforce which gobbles over 80% of government revenue.
Sources this week said the Chikores are being provided security by a team from the Zimbabwe Republic Police's (ZRP) Police Protection Unit (PPU) State House province, although they are not entitled to the protection.
PPU provides security to the first family and senior government or public officials such as ministers, judges, attorney general and prosecutor general among others.
The State House province concentrates on providing security to the First Family.
"ZRP officials provide evening security every day," said a senior police officer.
The Chikores came into the limelight when Simbarashe married Bona in March 2014.
Government authorities, however, said the Chikores were not public officials and were therefore not entitled to receive state security.
"Why should this family be given such treatment yet they are not public officials?
This is just an abuse of resources," said a government official.
Police spokesperson Charity Charamba said she had no comment over the matter.
In June, Mugabe office also protected his in-laws when his office blocked the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Youth, Indigenisation and Economic Empowerment from investigating Sakunda Energy after being awarded the tender for the controversial Dema Diesel Power Plant.
Sakunda, owned by Zanu PF benefactor Kuda Tagwirei, partnered Mugabe's in-law Derrick, brother to Simba in the dodgy and costly deal without going to tender.
Source - The Independent
