News / National
'Mnangagwa complicit in missing $15 billion'
15 Feb 2018 at 06:01hrs | Views
OPPOSITION Build Zimbabwe Alliance (BZA) leader and presidential aspirant, Noah Manyika, has accused President Emmerson Mnangagwa and some top government officials of being complicit in the missing $15 billion diamond revenue.
Manyika made the remarks in Harare on Tuesday when he unveiled his white vice-president, William Pilbrough.
He said Mnangagwa was the Defence minister when the $15 billion of diamond revenue disappeared, mined by the army.
"As a message which was circulating on social media recently reminds us: When $15 billion from diamonds went missing, who were mining at Chiadzwa? An army company. Who was the Minister of Defence then? Honourable Mnangagwa. Who was the commander of the army? Vice-President Constantino Chiwenga. Who was the Minister of Mines then? Obert Mpofu. Who was the Minister of Home Affairs? Kembo Mohadi — and all these are in government today," Manyika said.
"Will the billions that will flow into our economy under this leadership be more than what will flow out? If the defence forces intervened in November last year to get rid of the criminals around the Presidency, then it shouldn't be long before we have another coup to get rid of the ones that remain."
Manyika said those in control of resources such as Mnangagwa and his predecessor Robert Mugabe must account for the missing revenue.
"It will be a dereliction of duty if they say they don't know where the money is," he said.
Mugabe in 2016 claimed that the country had lost $15 billion of diamond revenue since the mining of the precious gems started close to a decade ago. The revelation sparked public outrage and recently, Norton MP Temba Mliswa (independent) said he would push of the summoning of former Mines minister Mpofu for grilling over the missing money.
But Manyika said there was no way Mugabe, Mnangagwa and some ministers and military personnel linked to the mining could be excluded from the rot. He said the if government was serious about fighting corruption, it should start with by hunting for the diamond revenue.
He said Mnangagwa's call for foreign investors without the change in the national leadership responsible for plundering the country's resources was a waste of time.
Manyika made the remarks in Harare on Tuesday when he unveiled his white vice-president, William Pilbrough.
He said Mnangagwa was the Defence minister when the $15 billion of diamond revenue disappeared, mined by the army.
"As a message which was circulating on social media recently reminds us: When $15 billion from diamonds went missing, who were mining at Chiadzwa? An army company. Who was the Minister of Defence then? Honourable Mnangagwa. Who was the commander of the army? Vice-President Constantino Chiwenga. Who was the Minister of Mines then? Obert Mpofu. Who was the Minister of Home Affairs? Kembo Mohadi — and all these are in government today," Manyika said.
"Will the billions that will flow into our economy under this leadership be more than what will flow out? If the defence forces intervened in November last year to get rid of the criminals around the Presidency, then it shouldn't be long before we have another coup to get rid of the ones that remain."
"It will be a dereliction of duty if they say they don't know where the money is," he said.
Mugabe in 2016 claimed that the country had lost $15 billion of diamond revenue since the mining of the precious gems started close to a decade ago. The revelation sparked public outrage and recently, Norton MP Temba Mliswa (independent) said he would push of the summoning of former Mines minister Mpofu for grilling over the missing money.
But Manyika said there was no way Mugabe, Mnangagwa and some ministers and military personnel linked to the mining could be excluded from the rot. He said the if government was serious about fighting corruption, it should start with by hunting for the diamond revenue.
He said Mnangagwa's call for foreign investors without the change in the national leadership responsible for plundering the country's resources was a waste of time.
Source - newsday
