ZANU PF secretary for administration Didymus Mutasa has accused Manicaland governor, Christopher Mushowe and the party’s provincial chairman, Mike Madiro of “personalising” the ownership and composition of the Marange Community Share Ownership Trust.
CLAYTON MASEKESA
Tempers flared last week at the party’s provincial coordination committee (PCC) meeting in Mutare, with Mutasa — who is considered to be the Zanu PF godfather in Manicaland province — accusing the two of “misleading” the party when the trust was formed.
“You [Mushowe and Madiro] are biased because you both hail from Marange and Zimunya respectively. You are misleading us into accepting the trust,” said a visibly angry Mutasa.
“You are selfish persons who masterminded the formation of Zimunya/Marange Ownership Trust at the expense of other districts in Manicaland and that is very wrong”.
He added: “We want a provincial ownership trust as opposed to a district trust because the provincial structure is inclusive and ideal.”
Mushowe had just given a summary report to appraise the PCC over the trust.
Zanu PF Manicaland provincial spokesperson Gorden Chikwanda also said his party was supportive of the provincial trust rather than the district trust.
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“Yes, we want the provincial trust other than those that focus on particular areas or districts.
“This [provincial ownership trust] is ideal because it will benefit the whole province,” said Chikwanda. “We have areas such as Chipinge which do not have diamonds but they need to be empowered by proceeds from the diamonds fields.”
Mushowe denied wrongdoing adding that he was just implementing a Cabinet decision.
“It is a Cabinet decision that comes up with policies and guidelines in the formation of Community Shares Trusts and we are just mere implementers,” he said.
But Mutasa responded saying laws were enacted to be amended. “Laws on community shares trusts are not cast in stones; they can be changed to suit the needs of the people.
“The same Cabinet can still change them if lobbying is done,” said Mutasa.
Madiro said it was important to be objective.
“We should always speak with one voice in everything. It seems we have a very serious problem here in terms of our modus operandi as a party,” said Madiro.
“We are not sticking to our pronouncements and regulations. If we undermine our own policies, we will be undermining ourselves in the process.”
The Zimunya/Marange community Share Scheme Ownership Trust was launched by President Robert Mugabe in July as a way to empower the community in the diamond-rich area.
