Looting And Grabbing Of Farms/Businesses- ‘Dangerous and Satanic’ – Chamisa
11/02/2011 12:55:00
Harare, February 11, 2011 – Minister of Information, Communications and
Technology (ICTs) Nelson Chamisa has criticised the grabbing and looting of
farms and businesses by Zanu (PF) describing it as “dangerous and satanic”.
“Zanu (PF) behaves like somebody who sees a pregnant woman and wants to
court her and then leaves for another one,” said Chamisa at a public debate
on the need for politicians holding office to declare their wealth organised
by Transparence International Zimbabwe (TIZ) on Thursday evening. “This
culture is unhealthy and as the MDC, we strongly condemn such kind of
behavior as it stalls development. People must not be addicted to ripping
where they did not sow,” he said.
He revealed that 44 Members of Parliament from his Movement for Democratic
Change (MDC) party had already declared their assets to parliament. He also
said there was need for the country to come out with a people driven
constitution that provides for the compulsory declaration of assets by
public officials.
“As a people’s party of excellence, we want to advocate for the creation of
a genuine Anti-Corruption Commission that monitors public officials. In the
MDC everyone who is caught in the wrong side of the law faces the gallows
regardless of political stature,” he said.
The MP for Glen View, Willas Madzimure, who was also part of the meeting
urged members of the public not to fear their leaders whom they elect into
office.
“This tendency of fearing your own leaders has to stop since you are the
ones who elected them into office. People must have the power to ask those
in high offices how they accumulated their wealth in a short period of time.
I’m not afraid of being investigated since I’m clean,” he said in reference
to Minister of Local Government and National
Housing, Ignatius Chombo’s vast wealth that came to light following a bitter
divorce wrangle at the courts.
Goodson Nguni who was representing Zanu (PF) stunned members at the meeting
when he openly defended the Chombo’s wealth claiming that he was not
corrupt.
“Minister Chombo did not own most of the assets that her wife demanded at
the courts, actually some of the cars belong to the state,” he said much to
the amazement of the members of the public.
Some filthy rich Zanu (PF) legislators have been alleged to be lobbying
their colleagues in the party to desist from declaring their assets to
parliament fearing that poverty-stricken Zimbabweans would question how they
acquired their vast wealth.
The only senior and notable Zanu PF official who has declared his assets
since the beginning of the campaign late last year is Mwenezi East MP
Kudakwashe Bhasikiti, who is in the party’s politburo.
TIZ is a Non Governmental Organization that seeks to promote democracy and
openness in society and it has been operational in Zimbabwe since 1996.
Nguni also stunned the audience at the public debate meeting when he
suggested that there be an investigation of who owned safe houses used by
political violence victims belonging to MDC.
“We want to know who is paying the rates at the safe houses. As Zanu(PF) we
say that political parties should not be financed by the west. The safe
houses were bought by the Americans and the British and are in certain
individuals’ names,” he said.
Hundreds of MDC-T supporters have fled their homes in Mbare, Budiriro and
Epworth suburbs among other areas after political violence broke out.
On Monday night police raided church premises in Harare’s Glen Norah suburb
where more than 100 MDC supporters aligned to Prime Minister Morgan
Tsvangirai had sought refuge while on Wednesday police questioned
authorities at Silveira House in Chiwasha situated on the outskirts of
Harare for housing political violence victims that had also fled their
homes.