Minister Mohadi implicated in theft of copper wire from ZESA
By Tererai Karimakwenda
23 September, 2010
ZANU PF’s co-Minister for Home Affairs Kembo Mohadi has been named in yet
another scandal, this time involving the theft of almost one thousand
kilometers of copper wire from the Zimbabwe Electricity Supply Authority
(ZESA) and from the telephone company Telkom. A relative of Mohadi’s,
believed to be a nephew named Roy Muleya, is reported to have been at the
centre of the wire theft ring.
SW Radio Africa this week received information that Muleya was arrested at
the Beitbridge border post last year with a convoy of ten trucks, each
loaded with tonnes of stolen copper wire. Reliable sources said the convoy
was headed for Troyeville, Johannesburg, where the wire was eventually sold.
Despite the evidence in the trucks and Muleya’s failure to provide a clear
explanation, he was suddenly released by the police in Beitbridge,
apparently after interference by Mohadi. The trucks were allowed to cross
the border and it is believed that they travelled to their destination in
Troyeville.
The theft was so massive that the whole infrastructure of electricity and
phone lines south of Masvingo to Beitbridge was affected. According to
sources, low level employees at ZESA and Telkom were blamed for the thefts,
because it was believed that they were trying to compliment their meager
salaries. Specialised tools are also needed to release some of the copper
wire, adding to suspicions that ‘insiders’ were responsible, when all along
a top official was making huge profits.
SW Radio Africa Bulawayo correspondent Lionel Saungweme said that Mohadi
owns an insurance company in Beitbridge that insures foreign registered
haulage trucks for transit through Zimbabwe.
“What is happening is that the charges are extremely high and many of the
haulage companies are complaining that they are the highest in the region.
The costs do not match the risk involved,” Saungweme said.
He also referred to a well known case that involved Mohadi’s wife and her
suspected lover. He said: “It is public knowledge that his wife’s lover was
found two years after he had gone missing somewhere in Beitbridge and there
was a lot of suspicion as to who killed him. There has never been any police
investigation.”
As SW Radio Africa has reported over the years, Minister Mohadi is said to
have top connections within the Mugabe regime. Saungweme said the minister
is an asset to ZANU PF because he comes from an intelligence background and
has been involved in a number of mysterious cases.
He added: “There have been some farm invasions and a conservancy in Gwanda
which has been taken over by ‘ZANU leaning thugs’ and the mastermind has
been singled out as Mohadi.”
At a time when the coalition government running Zimbabwe is trying to
convince businesses and farmers to help with the redevelopment of the
country, it would be beneficial if they started by stamping out corruption
and establishing a positive business environment. But unfortunately it is
top government officials who are at the heart of the problem.