Jonathan Moyo told to carry his own cross

OPPOSITION parties and war veterans yesterday rubbed salt on Higher Education minister Jonathan Moyo and his deputy, Godfrey Gandawa's bruised political careers, saying they should face up to the alleged fraud allegations levelled against them and not seek to hide behind tribal and factional persecution.

Moyo and Gandawa were recently implicated in a $430 000 fraud case involving Zimbabwe Manpower Development Fund (Zimdef) funds before President Robert Mugabe last week blocked their imminent arrests.

The investigations were conducted by officials from the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (Zacc).

MDC-T spokesperson Obert Gutu yesterday said Moyo and Gandawa should resign and face the full wrath of the law because "there was a clear case of corruption and abuse of office".

"As the MDC-T, we have already said Zanu PF abuses State institutions for its enrichment and rule. He is not the only one; we have people like (Energy minister) Samuel Undenge who were exposed of abusing State resources at Zesa. Moyo and Undenge should resign if they have morals, or (President Robert) Mugabe should just fire them," Gutu said.

He added: "There is a very clear case against Moyo of abuse of office and corruption or fraud. He should have been arrested long back and have his day in court."

Zimbabwe People First spokesperson Jealousy Mawarire said: "If the allegations we are reading are true, and we believe they are as we would like to assume Zacc is a professional body, surely reports that President Mugabe stopped his arrest are unfortunate.

"We don't care who benefited from this illegal deal and it is not denied that an act of fraud was committed and no excuse of who benefited should be used to stop the arrest.

"Moyo should face the music and must not play the unfortunate tribal or factional victim. It is not Zanu PF which stole the money but Moyo and he must carry his cross."

War veterans' secretary-general Victor Matemadanda said Zimbabwe was doomed under the stewardship of Vice-President Phelekezela Mphoko, whom he labelled as "a criminal who protects criminals."

"It's pathetic that we were chased away in the party because we had spoken ill of corruption and those perpetrating it, but today, we have a VP who protects criminals.

"Anyway, people should understand history well and know that these two (Moyo and Mphoko) are both war deserters and have nothing really to offer Zimbabwe," Matemadanda said.

But, Moyo and Gandawa have come out guns blazing, claiming their botched arrest was being triggered by rivals within the ruling Zanu PF party. They also insisted the alleged corrupt transactions, which have landed them in the spotlight, were above board.

Moyo on his Twitter account yesterday insinuated that Zacc was corrupt and infested with Vice-President Emmerson Mnangagwa's sympathisers.

He also disclosed that he used part of the money to sponsor the Zanu PF youth league's million-man march, apart from buying bicycles for chiefs in his Tsholotsho North constituency.

"The Million-Man-March was not a Zanu PF event. It was a national event in solidarity with the President as Head of State & Government!" Moyo twitted.

Meanwhile, Mphoko yesterday defended Moyo saying the fraud allegations were being raised by unnamed senior officials bent on destabilising the government.

Mphoko was addressing Mpopoma residents in Bulawayo.