Zanu-PF youth fakes ex-boss’ death, asks for $1 000 donation
ZANU-PF women’s league chairpersons from the country’s 10 provinces converged in Bulawayo yesterday to reaffirm calls for the sacking of national executive members Cde Nomthandazo Eunice Moyo and Sarah Mahoka following demonstrations in their respective areas.
The chairpersons in a demonstration attended by hundreds of party supporters at the Davies Hall provincial party headquarters, took turns to denounce Cde Moyo the women’s league deputy secretary and secretary for finance Cde Mahoka over allegations of undermining First lady and secretary for the organ Dr Grace Mugabe. They also accused the pair of corruption, insubordination and fanning factionalism.
The demonstrators were joined by members of the party’s youth league, war veterans and war collaborators who all called for the expulsion of Cdes Moyo and Mahoka.
The women’s league chairpersons said Cde Moyo and Mahoka should be relieved of their positions as they were working against Dr Mugabe and President Mugabe.
Yesterday’s demonstrations followed similar protests across the country’s 10 provinces during which cadres demanded the sacking of the two officials.
Cde Mahoka also stands accused of denigrating Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa and Presidential spokesperson Mr George Charamba.
Mashonaland East provincial women’s league chairperson Cde Charity Manyeruke said all those opposed to the First lady were opposed to the women.
“We are here standing for Mashonaland East, the entire province, the First lady is our mother and those against our mother must go. All those engaged in corruption and factionalism must go and we say Cdes Mahoka and Sandi must go,” said Cde Manyeruke.
Mashonaland Central provincial women’s league chairperson Cde Mercy Jonga said they were reaffirming the calls they made in their respective provinces on Wednesday.
“We initially conducted the demonstrations in our provinces but today we are all here to reaffirm our calls. These people are dividing our party and we are here to confirm that we are fully behind the First lady and say who ever crosses paths with Amai Mugabe also crosses our path,” she said.
Mashonaland West provincial women’s league chairperson Cde Angelina Muchemenyi said Cdes Moyo and Mahoka were causing a lot of problems in the women’s league.
“God is there, these two were causing a lot of problems, dividing people, imposing people in positions, insulting our First lady and Vice Presidents. These people are very dangerous to the party but we say to them beware the ides of March,” she said. A ZANU-PF Bulawayo Provincial Youth Deputy Commissar has been sentenced to 12 months in prison for faking former provincial youth chairperson Mr Khumbulani Mpofu`s death and asking for a $1 000 funeral donation from the party.
Tichaona Chikwava (33) from Makokoba suburb and his co-accused Blessed Mushandu who is on the run claimed Mr Mpofu had died. They requested a donation from the party. A court heard police dramatically swooped on Chikwava and Mushandu on Wednesday at the Zanu-PF offices while the duo was waiting to be given the money.
However, Mashandu disappeared along their way to Donnington Police Station.
Provincial magistrate Mr Felix Mkhwananzi convicted Chikwava on his own plea.
“Your worship, l did this because I desperately needed some money. I am appealing to the court to be lenient when sentencing me because l have a family to look after and l have only a television set as asset of value,” said Chikwava. Mr Mkhwananzi sentenced Chikwava to 12 months in prison but suspended four months on condition that he does not within the next five years commit a similar crime. “You will serve an effective eight months in prison. You are a member of the said political party and the offence that you commit ted has tarnished the image of Zanu-PF. You don`t have to fake someone`s death in order to get money,” he said.
Prosecuting, Mr Nkathazo Dlodlo said on March 22 Chikwava and Mushandu went to the Zanu-PF offices in the city to ask for a donation for the burial of a party member.
“The accused persons introduced themselves to a complainant, Operations Director Robert Noel Hugo (44) as members of the party. They produced fake donation papers,” said Mr Dlodlo.
“The accused persons produced a fake death certificate of cause of death indicating the deceased as Mr Mpofu and requested $1 000 for funeral expenses.”
The court heard that Cde Hugo became suspicious and enquired from other Zanu-PF members who told him that Mr Mpofu was still alive.
Mr Dlodlo said Cde Hugo reported to the police leading to the arrest of Chikwava and Mushandu.
“The police arrested the accused persons while they were in the process of receiving money from the complainant. Accused Blessed Mushandu was ordered by the police to follow them in his private car but he disappeared along the way,” he said. — @ cynthiamthembo1.