ZIMBABWE Heads of Christian Denominations executive
secretary Bishop Kenneth Mtata yesterday said the arrest of Presidential
Affairs minister Joram Gumbo by the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (Zacc)
on Monday could be viewed as President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s political
gamesmanship to fight his political wars.
Gumbo was arrested on Monday for criminal abuse of office
during his time as Transport minister.He becomes the second minister to be
arrested in Mnangagwa’s anti-corruption fight after former Tourism minister
Priscah Mupfumira, who is still on trial for criminal abuse of office,
money-laundering and corruption involving US$95 million of the National Social
Security Authority funds
.
Mtata told NewsDay that Zimbabweans had lost trust in the
way Zacc was arresting some bigwigs while leaving other corrupt officials in
both government and the ruling party Zanu PF.
“The current anti-corruption model is based on the law
instead of values and culture change. In an environment of mistrust such a
legal approach against corruption will be viewed as part of factional political
gamesmanship,” he said.
Mnangagwa has been accused of using the anti-graft body to
elbow out bigwigs in his party who would have fallen out with him while leaving
out other people in his inner circle whose corrupt activities are even in the
public domain.
In some cases those who would have fallen out with
Mnangagwa and arrested by Zacc are not convicted as the anti-graft body would
have no solid case.
Opposition MDC spokesperson Daniel Molokele said the recent
arrest of Gumbo by Zacc was a publicity stunt by Mnangagwa.
“Since Mnangagwa promised to deal with corrupt officials no
one has actually been convicted. It is more of internal politics than fighting
corruption,” he said.
“We still believe that it is the same trend (of catching
and releasing corrupt people). The bottom line is since that past two years it
is difficult to believe that they are fighting corruption. It’s the usual
publicity stunt.”
Zacc chairperson Justice Loice Matanda-Moyo recently
pleaded with Zimbabweans to give them time as they were continuing with their
wave of fighting corruption in the country. Newsday
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