Zanu PF Officials Accuse 3 Businessmen of Running Toxic Cartels Crippling Zimbabwe Economy
“These corrupt cartels are very powerful and have been left to do as they please for a long time. Their actions are driven by greed. They are fuelling all black market activities and claim that they are related or close to the national leadership. They have become the untouchables.”
WASHINGTON — Two top members of the ruling Zanu PF party’s Youth League are accusing three Zimbabwean businessmen of allegedly causing the current economic crisis in the country through manipulating the exchange rate, prices of fuel and maize and other commodities. Deputy secretary Lewis Matutu and political commissar Godfrey Tsenengamu told a press conference in Harare on Monday that director Billy Rautenbach of Green Fuel, Kuda Tagwirei of Sakunda Holdings and Tafadzwa Musarara, chairperson of the Grain Millers Association, are bleeding the country’s economy by allegedly engaging in some of these activities, which have a negative impact on prices of various commodities. Tsenengamu said, “We are in a ship where some individuals are busy drilling holes for it to sink. Our action to name and shame the corrupt are driven by our patriotism. This a generational fight because if we leave this to continue, future generations will curse us for turning a blind eye to a cancer which is tearing the social and moral fibre of our country. “These corrupt cartels are very powerful and have been left to do as they please for a long time. Their actions are driven by greed. They are fuelling all black market activities and claim that they are related or close to the national leadership. They have become the untouchables.” His views were echoed by Matutu, who claimed that some of the businessmen were allegedly engaged in shady deals and looting state resources by taking advantage of their close links with the country’s political leaders. “Why is it an individual is almost everywhere, be it fuel or Command Agriculture? How come some individuals are allowed to withdraw as much as $500,000 from the bank? Most of our problems are coming from this heartless individual.” He claimed that it was strange that the same individual is always winning state tenders and also getting cash from the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe, which is then used to manipulate the exchange rate. Matutu and Tsenengamu claimed that they were making these remarks on their individual capacities and not Zanu PF Youth League representatives. Musarara, Rautenbach and Tagwirei were unavailable for comment as they were not responding to calls on their mobile phones. Garikai Chaunza of the Grain Millers Association declined to comment saying Matutu and Tsenengamu should unveil the evidence linking Musarara to the alleged shady deals. Some members of the Zanu PF Youth League distanced itself from the allegations leveled against the three businessmen. In a tweet, they said, “We dissociate ourselves from the ongoing presser by Cdes Matutu and Tsenengamu. Views expressed don’t represent Zanu PF Youth League, but personal opinions. We urge anyone with incriminating evidence against anyone to approach lawful authorities and responsible agencies.”