Mliswa begs Kasukuwere to withdraw $20 million lawsuit against him

Controversial independent legislator for Norton constituency Themba Mliswa has allegedly approached prominent Harare lawyer and legislator Jonathan Samukange with a proposal to engage Local Government, Public Works and National Housing Minister Saviour Kasukuwere for the withdrawal of a US$20 million lawsuit.

This emerged following the matter in which Mliswa was slapped with US$20 million lawsuit over his comments insinuating that the plaintiff was a gay gangster being struck off the roll by Justice David Mangota.

Samukange revealed after the court proceedings at the High Court that on Wednesday the 16th of this month Norton legislator Themba Mliswa approached him saying he was willing to settle the US$20 million lawsuit lodged by Minister Kasukuwere out of court.

Samukange added that he is still to get in touch with the minister over the proposal by Mliswa but there was no monetary offer put to the table or any terms.

He said Mliswa's view was that the matter is too personal and not in the interest of either party as it does not advance anyone's political interests and he had hinted that if the minister were amenable a withdrawal would the best.

Mliswa is also facing another US$20 million lawsuit from the Minister of Higher and Tertiary Education, Science and Technology Development Jonathan Moyo over the same article which Mliswa was quoted in two local weekly newspapers, the Daily News and the NewsDay of the 30th of September 2014 that he had during a press conference attacked ministers Moyo, Kasukuwere and Patrick Zhuwawo for being gay gangsters who were on the CIA payroll to destroy Zanu PF from within.

Minister Kasukuwere and Minister Moyo are both represented by Jonathan Samukange in the joint US$40 million lawsuit.

Professor Moyo's matter has been set down for the 25th of November 2016.

However Samukange hinted that if Kasukuwere and Mliswa were to agree to settle out of court it is more than likely that Professor Moyo's matter will follow the same route.

Meanwhile, at Harare Magistrate Court ZIMDEF boss Frederick Mandizvidza will now be joined together with his co-accused persons Doctor Godfrey Gandawa and ZIMDEF principal director finance Nicholas Mapute whose routine remand hearing is on the 30th of November following a successful application lodged by the state.