Chiyangwa claims ‘Kasukuwere demanded $5m bribe’

Local Government, Public Works and National Housing Minister Saviour Kasukuwere allegedly demanded $5 million bribe from businessman and property developer Philip Chiyangwa to speed up the process of compensating his companies for urban land that was compulsorily acquired by the State for settlement.

Chiyangwa said he purchased a total of 1 286 hectares of land at Nyarungu Estates, Stoneridge and Orda farms from private owners, but Government later compulsorily acquired the land to accommodate the homeless.

Jetmaster Properties and Sensene Investments – all being subsidiaries of Pinnacle Property Holdings owned by Chiyangwa – contested the decision until the Supreme Court issued an order for the parties to negotiate the compensation terms for the land in question.

A deed of settlement was filed with the court allocating the land to Pinnacle Property Holdings. Pinnacle, according to the agreement, would spearhead the development of the land and recover its compensation from payments from stand occupants.

Chiyangwa claimed that when Minister Kasukuwere assumed the Local Government, Public Works and National Housing portfolio, the finalisation of the deals dragged amid demands for the bribe.

In an interview, Chiyangwa described Minister Kasukuwere as “a bribe-taker who wanted to reap where he did not sow”.

“We came a long way, but he has totally chosen to control me through remote control,” said Chiyangwa. “He tells me that he wants $5 million to process my things.

“Despite a Supreme Court order for the settlement of the matter and the President’s directive through Minister (Douglas) Mombeshora (Lands and Rural Resettlement) to allocate the land to me, I went through serious pressure from Kasukuwere.

“Up to now, Tyson (as Kasukuwere is sometimes called) wants a bribe from the property that is legitimately mine.”

Minister Kasukuwere, according to Chiyangwa, employed delaying tactics to ensure the bribe was paid.

“This guy is an extortionist,” he said. “I have treated him as a brother, but his love for money has turned him into something else.”

Chiyangwa threatened to spill the beans if Minister Kasukuwere responded to the bribery allegations.

“He demanded $5 million from me,” he said. “Let him respond to it and I will unleash all the bombs on him. I will write a book about Tyson and myself. He is simply a bribe-taker. I am warning him against continuously demanding bribes from people.”

Responding to the allegations, Minister Kasukuwere said Chiyangwa would not get away with the 12 million hectares of land “he stole from the State”.

He categorically denied the bribery allegations.

“If I demanded the bribe, why didn’t he report to the Anti-Corruption Commission? I did not solicit for any bribe from Chiyangwa,” said Minister Kasukuwere.

“He does not have money. I will never waste my time arguing with him.”

Minister Kasukuwere accused Chiyangwa of corruptly acquiring close to 12 million hectares of land from local authorities and that he (as the Minister of Local Government) was simply enquiring on how he got such tracts of land.

“Chiyangwa has been corrupting ministry officials and managed to steal almost 12 million hectares of land in this country,” he said. “I am merely doing my job. I am trying to inquire on how he acquired the land and he is trying to cover up for his criminality.

“There is a big inquiry for Chiyangwa and he will not get away with it,” Minister Kasukuwere charged.

Meanwhile, Cletus Mushanawani reports from Mutare that Deputy Minister of Local Government, Public Works and National Housing Chris Chingosho was yesterday forced to leave a Zanu-PF provincial co-ordination committee meeting at Mutare Polytechnic in a huff after some members bayed for his blood.

Chingosho, who is embattled Saviour Kasukuwere’s deputy, drew the ire of some members of the PCC after he tried to smuggle in an issue that was not on the agenda.

Chingosho, who arrived late for the meeting, told provincial chairman Dr Samuel Undenge that some of his counterparts in Parliament were encroaching into his area and holding meetings.

As Dr Undenge announced what Chingosho had whispered to him, Chingosho, who was sitting in the gallery, shouted, “Kudzi”, and all hell broke loose.

Some members of the PCC charged at him, accusing him of trying to use the meeting to settle old scores.

Chaos reigned supreme as some members grabbed chairs and tried to attack him.

The swift intervention of Central Committee members, among them Esau Mupfumi and Joseph Chinotimba and security details who formed a human shield around Chingosho saved him from a bashing by the irate members.

Chingosho had to seek refuge at the high table where he had a chat with Agriculture, Mechanisation and Irrigation Development Minister Dr Joseph Made, before being escorted outside the hall by security details. The Herald