Mnangagwa neck tie auctioned for $15 000

By Eric Chiriga

President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s neck tie was yesterday auctioned for a staggering $15 000 at the on-going CEOs Africa Round  Table (Cart) conference in Victoria Falls.

After letting go of the tie, which he came putting on from Harare, Mnangagwa was offered an American flag designed replacement, which he put on immediately.

In the dramatic event, the tie was initially listed at $1 000 dollars by presenter Gary Thompson, a figure which was dramatically outbid by Oswell Binha — board chairperson of  Cart, who offered $5 000.

However, Thompson — acting as the auctioneer — upped the stakes, with Grain Millers Association of Zimbabwe (Gmaz) president Tafadzwa Musarara offering $8 000.

But Musarara’s offer was outbid by Matthew Sibanda — Bolt Gas managing director — who offered $10 000 for the piece of apparel.

The Gmaz boss did not give up, as he offered $15 000 and won the bid.

“I am excited and overwhelmed,” he said, adding “it’s a Lacoste brand tie”.

Interestingly, Mnangagwa was the leader of the Team Lacoste Zanu PF faction, which was fiercely opposed by the Generation 40 camp, led by his predecessor Robert Mugabe’s wife, Grace, before he took over in November last year.

Thompson — who jokingly said Mugabe would have refused to remove his tie after he asked Mnangagwa to do so — said the funds raised would go towards rehabilitation of hospitals in the Victoria Falls resort town.

The US flag-designed tie could be viewed as Mnangagwa warming up to the West, which Mugabe was intolerant to. Daily News