Zanu-PF MP calls Martin Dinha a 'thief'

NATIONAL Railways of Zimbabwe (NRZ) chairperson Martin Dinha, has been called a "thief" who is busy stripping the state-owned entity's assets for resell and thereby reversing the gains of Zimbabwe's liberation struggle.

The allegations were raised by Zanu-PF Mazowe North MP Campion Mugweni who accused Dinha of mismanaging the NRZ, lying, and receiving bribes from white farmers during his stint as Mashonaland Central Provincial Minister.

In leaked chats posted in a Zanu-PF Mashonaland Central provincial WhatsApp group, Mugweni accused Dinha of reversing the gains of the land reform programme and disabling the province's ability to produce enough food for export.

Ironically, Mugweni served time in a US jail for fraud before he was deported back to Zimbabwe.

On his return to Zimbabwe, he stood in Zanu-PF primary elections in 2018 for the Mazowe North constituency where he defeated Dinha who was the legislator for the area then.

However, in the WhatsApp chats gleaned by the NewZimbabwe.com, Mugweni accused Dinha of fighting him and bribing journalists to write negative stories about the legislator.

"I have been noting your (Dinha) posts in different groups kubva nezuro manheru (from last night) and I kept quiet, however, vakuru vanoti gudo guru peta muswe kuti vadiki vakutye. In this case matadza kupeta muswe hence I will be a fool to respect you for such foolishness," reads Mugweni's post in reference to Dinha.

"To begin with Cde, I have been written about in the (news) papers very often, but have you ever heard me say you are pushing that agenda? How many people in this province come out in the (news) papers and have you ever heard them say so and so is behind it? Is coming out in the (news) papers giving you an opportunity to fight me?"

An irate Mugweni added: "In your phantom dreams you still think that you are a threat to me? No Cde, you have never, and you (are) still not a threat to me! I finished with you in 2018 when I beat you and unlike you, I fear no one.

"Even if we were to get into an election yesterday, today or tomorrow, I will still win hence stop dragging my name in your own dirty deals. You should heal of whatever political bitterness and wounds that you inflicted on yourself.

"Whatever is happening at (the) NRZ is none of my business, whether you steal or not will not stop me from mobilising my five million votes in my constituency. You are losing my respect, except that you have grown old, otherwise you will lose moral standing.

"You go around telling people that CdeTsotsi (Thief). Who does not know about all the dirty deals you contributed (to) in the province during your tenure as Minister of State for Mashonaland Central?

"How many bribes did you collect from white farmers? How much did you interfere with the land issue in the province? Your tenure was a legacy of corruption which reversed the gains of independence and the land reform programme in the province, which was formerly the breadbasket of Zimbabwe."

Dinha is reported to be battling to keep his post as NRZ chairperson following revelations he was undervaluing the parastatal's scrap metal and reselling it for a song.

However, contacted for comment by NewZimbabwe.com, Dinha accused Mugwenhi of peddling falsehoods about him as he was "jittery" ahead of the pending 2023 elections.

"Those allegations are being peddled by Mugwenhi who is jittery and knows he is on the way out. I did not take anything from the sale of scrap metal. Everything that was sold is well documented and as a ceremonial board chair, I am not involved at all in those processes," he said.