ZANU PF Central Committee member, Phillip Chiyangwa, has taken Harare
women’s league provincial chairperson, Ratidzo Mukarati, to court
demanding $1 million from her over alleged defamatory statements uttered
at the recently-held women’s national meeting.
The flamboyant businessman, who is also aspiring House of Assembly
candidate for Zvimba South, filed summons against Mukarati on Wednesday
through his lawyers Mutamangira and Associates. The women’s chairperson
is yet to respond to the litigation.
In his declaration, Chiyangwa said the lawsuit against Mukarati came
about following her utterances on June 7, 2018 while addressing the
women’s national meeting, which was attended by President Emmerson
Mnangagwa and senior government and party officials.
Chiyangwa said Mukarati pleaded with Mnangagwa to deal with him for
allegedly selling land at Eyrecourt Farm to Zanu PF party members at
exorbitant prices.
“While defendant [Mukarati] was addressing the meeting in the
presence of the President [Mnangagwa] and senior government and party
functionaries, she publicly alleged that the plaintiff [Chiyangwa] owns
land in Harare South, including Eyrecourt Farm,” he said.
“She unequivocally claimed that the plaintiff was making Zanu PF
members pay a lot of money for the land at Eyrecourt Farm. She then
proceeded to plead for urgent intervention of the President to engage
local authorities so that they could assist the prejudiced Zanu PF
members.”
The businessman, who is also Zimbabwe Football Association (Zifa)
president, said Mukarati’s utterances at the meeting were widely
publicised by various media outlets nationwide, adding “they were
outrightly defamatory” of his good name and standing.
“She falsely alleged that plaintiff owns several properties in Harare
South and, without basis whatsoever, attributed all property wrangles
and disputes in Harare South to him . . . Defendant falsely insinuated
that the plaintiff is an unscrupulous businessman who charges excessive
prices for urban land contrary to stated government policy and market
rates,” he said.
Chiyangwa also said Mukarati’s utterances created an impression in
the minds of the Zanu PF leaders and members at large, “that
notwithstanding his position in the party, his business conduct and
practices were undermining the electoral interest of Zanu PF and
calculated to procure an adverse and unfavourable outcome for Zanu PF in
the upcoming general elections”.
“Defendant’s utterances falsely create an impression that the
plaintiff is an unethical, heartless and ruthless individual, who seeks
to profiteer at the expense of the welfare of the less-privileged
members of society, conduct which fully undermines the stated values of
Zanu PF,” he said.
“In general, defendant’s utterances are wholly devoid of truth and
substance and in light of her position in the party and the forum before
which she chose to present the fabricated allegations, the good name
and reputation of the plaintiff has been besmirched and will suffer
irredeemably in politics, business, sport and standing in society at
large.
“The plaintiff, therefore, claims against the defendant damages for defamation in the sum of $1 000 000.” Newsday
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