By Leopold Munhende
THE explosive dossier presented by Vice President Constantino Chiwenga to Zanu PF’s powerful Politburo on September 17 this year has been leaked.
Detailing grand corruption by President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s monied allies, Chiwenga’s dossier warned prevailing conditions were exactly what led to their decision to oust late President Robert Mugabe in a November 2017 coup.
The dossier names businessman Kudakwashe Tagwirei, shadowy Wicknell Chivayo, questionable Delish Nguwaya and Scottland FC owner Pedzisayi “Scott” Sakupwanya as some of the “corrupt” individuals who have been milking Zimbabwe’s coffers.
“Comrade President, we undertook Operation Restore Legacy with a sacred mandate: to reclaim our nation from the jaws of corruption and to restore the dignity, prosperity, and sovereignty of Zimbabwe for its people,” said Chiwenga.
“Comrade President, in November 2017, we took a bold and necessary step to remove former President Robert Mugabe from power, because he sought to manipulate our Constitution for personal gain.
“He allowed certain individuals and family to seize his executive authority and abuse it, he ignored the suffering of the people while a corrupt elite looted with impunity, he turned ZANU-PF into a personal fiefdom, disregarding its founding values.
“During November 2017, we risked everything our lives, our freedom, our futures to restore and defend our legacy, the Party and the Constitution.
“Today, history is repeating itself in the most shameful way Comrade President. Why we find ourselves in this situation is both shocking and shameful.
“Comrade President, on several occasions and even abroad, you have informed the nation that you are a Constitutionalist and yet it is now clear for anyone to see that the so-called 2030 Agenda to extend your term of office is real and alive, and this has now taken us back to the ills that led us to November 2017.
“Moreover, the drivers of this so-called 2030 Agenda have now made corruption, looting of our state coffers and bribery of our structures the cornerstone of their contribution to this campaign, and this is now destroying our Party and violating our Constitution.”
Chiwenga claimed Tagwirei, Nguwaya, Sakupwanya and Chivayo had siphoned over US$3.2 billion from the state in shadowy deals that include the sale of party shares in Tagwirei’s Kuvimba and Great Dyke Investment, Nguwaya’s Geo-Pomona initiative, Chivayo’s Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) scandal and gold purchases by Sakupwanya.
Mnangagwa, whose supporters are demanding that he illegally extend his second term to 2030, is said to favour Tagwirei as his successor instead of Chiwenga.
Chiwenga is eyeing the top post, having expected to take over in 2023.
Added Chiwenga: “The reality which is clearly emerging is that this 2030 Agenda is being funded and driven by known criminals who have brazenly looted our state coffers with impunity and are now using these resources whose capture and control of our Party is unprecedented and deeply worrying.
“Kudakwashe Tagwirei, Wicknell Chivhayo, Scott Sakupwanya, and Delish Nguwaya, amongst others, structure and in the process destroy our Party.”
Chiwenga demanded their immediate arrests, twice telling Mnangagwa that the time for inaction had long passed.
“Comrade President, tirikuti vanhu ava, Kudakwashe Tagwirei, Wicknell Chivhayo, Scott Sakupwanya, and Delish Nguwaya, and their associates, ngavasungwe, immediately for these unprecedented crimes they have committed,” he said.
“Comrade President, the time for silence and inaction is over, and we cannot allow these criminals who have stolen from our Government coffers and our Party to start using the same resources to bribe fellow comrades and our structures to get their support, defend and protect them.
“The time for silence and inaction is over, Comrade President. We, as the Party’s Presidium, have serious issues to immediately deal with that will define our future, and we must immediately prioritise cleaning our house, reclaim our State and our Party from the capture by Kudakwashe Tagwirei, Wicknell Chivhayo, Scott Sakupwanya, and Delish Nguwaya and their associates.”
The leaking of Chiwenga’s dossier indicates a turning point in Zanu PF’s worsening factional fights.
Despite being an obvious escalation of the battle for power between Chiwenga and Mnangagwa, it is the first time private confrontations between the two have been made public.
Their relationship is reportedly now similar to the one Mnangagwa had with his predecessor, Mugabe.