Mutinhiri turned down Sekeramayi sexual advances

By Nkululeko Sibanda, Senior Writer

State Security minister Sydney Sekeramayi has been sensationally accused of attempting to use his post in Zanu PF to get sexual favours from former Zanu PF legislator for Marondera East constituency, Tracy Mutinhiri.

Mutinhiri was fired from Zanu PF last week after she was accused of, among other things, bringing the name of her former party into disrepute. She was found guilty on six charges, leading the Zanu PF politburo to fire her from the party.

The decision, made last week, means that she could also lose her post as deputy minister of Labour and Social Services. However Mutinhiri, in documents obtained by this newspaper, said her problems had been caused by her refusal to accede to Sekeramayi’s sexual demands.

Sekeramayi is a member of the powerful Zanu PF politburo responsible for national security.

In a written response, addressed to Zanu PF national chairman Simon Khaya Moyo, to the allegations levelled against her and which led to her firing from the party, Mutinhiri said she had “a dislike for his (Sekeramayi’s) deeds and machinations towards her.”

“Please take note. I don’t hate Senator Sekeramayi as a person. But I dislike his deeds and machinations towards me.

“I might have turned down his advances but he cannot continuously hold a grudge against me because that will not make me change my mind, Handimude zvangu (I do not want) to have a relationship with him,” wrote Mutinhiri.

In the letter, Mutinhiri described a cocktail of clashes she had with Sekeramayi in Mashonaland East Province.

“I have never denounced Zanu PF at any fora. I have done my developmental projects in my constituency, in peace, until, unfortunately, Senator Sekeramayi started influencing my former officer, Kaserera to work against me, simply because I turned down and resisted his love advances.

“Must I have slept with Senator Sekeramayi to be loyal to the party? Unfortunately, I am a principled and dignified woman and would not sell my body for anything,” she wrote.

Mutinhiri, in her letter, accuses Sekeramayi of causing the destruction of her marriage with Brigadier Ambrose Mutinhiri. She believes Sekeramayi could have instigated the divorce with his husband so that he would then step into the former brigadier’s shoes.

“… We would still be together with Ambrose, if it was not for Senator Sekeramayi who instigated the breakdown of my marriage and all the sufferings and misery I am going through up to this day,” Mutinhiri said.

She added that her initial suspension and subsequent dismissal from Zanu PF was premised on petty allegations that had been levelled against her. She said the allegations did not have substantial evidence.

“…I feel strongly (that) my suspension does not warrant the petty allegations levelled against me without substantive evidence.(sic)

“All people who came to testify were coerced and to some extent out of fear of being harmed, but still their evidence was not authentic,” Mutinhiri added.

In another letter in response to her dismissal, Mutinhiri said she accepted the politburo’s decision to dismiss her although the party’s highest decision-making body had not heard her side of the story.

“Whilst it is sad and indeed unfortunate that both the Mashonaland East and the National Disciplinary Committee decisions were accepted based on false allegations and framed-up evidence, I humbly accept all decisions from the two disciplinary committees, even though the National Disciplinary Committee did not hear my side of the story.

“It is my wish and hope that I can now move on with my life without any harassment and hounding and will enjoy my human rights and democratic rights as a free citizen of Zimbabwe,” Mutinhiri said.

When contacted for a comment, Sekeramayi, immediately cut off his phone as he has always done when contacted by the Daily News. Daily News