Charamba warns “sellout”ex-ZCTU boss

PRESIDENT Emmerson Mnangagwa’s spokesperson George Charamba has warned former Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) president Peter Mutasa that the net would soon close in on him for allegedly selling out.

Charamba warned that Mutasa would soon be caged over alleged “transgressions” and misuse of funds during his tenure at the helm of the workers’ union.

He accused Mutasa of selling out by allegedly holding private meetings with the Swedish and Swiss embassies in Harare.

Before the verbal showdown, Charamba had tweeted that Zimbabwe’s economy was in safe hands and was moving in the right direction, while claiming that the Presidential Advisory Council (PAC) was ignorant of some key issues to do with the economy as evidenced by some of the PAC members’ comments during the Monday meeting.

“At PAC meeting (on Monday), one was struck by how far ahead of business government is on economic issues and general reading of economic indicators. Of course, it was both reassuring and disappointing.

“Disappointing in that those who purport to be lead actors are actually followers, bad ones in some instances. On many occasions and from many interventions, one endured the tedium.”

His comments attracted a backlash from Mutasa, who accused government of ignoring advice amid an economic crisis.

“When will you accept professional advice? Soon, they will be labelled regime change agents.”

Charamba then fired back, warning Mutasa that he was being audited and that the long arm of the law would soon catch up with him.

“Are you done with the Swedish and Swiss meetings at the embassies? Meetings to sell out the country?”

Charamba has, on several occasions, accused the main opposition MDC Alliance leaders, civic society organisations, ZCTU, and other individuals of being sellouts and unpatriotic for holding meetings with Western embassies to effect regime change.