Kasukuwere fights in Jonathan Moyo’s corner

ZANU-PF Political Commissar Saviour Kasukuwere has warned that further exposés  about underfire Higher and Tertiary Education, Science and Technology Development Minister Professor Jonathan Moyo are ill-conceived and damaging the ruling party.

According to the Mnangagwa aligned State media, Professor Moyo and his deputy Godfrey Gandawa are accused of swindling the Zimbabwe Manpower Development Fund (Zimdef) of close to $500 000 to fund party and personal programmes.

Prof Moyo has admitted to using his discretion to divert Zimdef funds meant to benefit students and colleges towards party programmes and to buy bicycles for traditional leaders in his Tsholotsho constituency in Matabeleland North.

Addressing journalists in Harare last week at a press conference to mark International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction, Kasukuwere – a close ally of Prof Moyo – said further exposure of Prof Moyo could damage Zanu-PF, which he said was already dealing with the matter internally.

Said Kasukuwere last week: "If one has to chase a rat and ends up burning a house we then start wondering what the objective is?

"Issues to do with the party must be handled with the utmost discipline, respect that is expected of all of us and I think our leader the President has given us direction.

"He set up a committee to look into various matters, to look into the operations of some of these institutions that are mentioned, in particular the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission. We expect that team to do its work."

He said there appeared to be an agenda against Prof Moyo.

"What concerns us is that it appears there is a bigger agenda than dealing with the issue (of corruption). What we're not going to accept is anything that ultimately damages the party. The party is a sacred institution with all of us in it."