Jonathan Moyo hands himself over to Zacc… after Mugabe order

Higher and Tertiary Education minister Jonathan Moyo has handed himself over to the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission to answer questions over alleged abuse of nearly $400 000 from the Zimbabwe Manpower Development Fund.

According to Nehanda Radio sources the controversial spin-doctor was ordered to surrender himself to the anti-corruption commission by President Robert Mugabe. Only last week the 92-year-old Zanu PF leader said those accused of corruption should have their day in court.

Moyo has already admitted to using his discretion to divert Zimdef funds meant to benefit students and colleges towards Zanu PF party programmes and to buy bicycles for traditional leaders in his Tsholotsho constituency in Matabeleland North.

On Tuesday Moyo announced his intention to sue ZACC, top government officials including Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa and Zimpapers editors. He alleged that Mnangagwa was illegally using the anti-graft commission to further his political career. 

Moyo said the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission had on several occasions tried to arrest him on false graft charges at Mnangagwa’s behest.

He said this was part of a plan “intended to secure that the political ends currently being pursued by the vice president are advanced in relation to what has become public knowledge about the desire to secure a front foot in succession politics”.

Hypocrisy

Ironically, Prof Moyo is on record saying all leaders accused of corruption should carry their crosses and not claim that allegations against them damage the party.

In April 2014, in apparent reference to then Zanu-PF Mashonaland West provincial chairman Temba Mliswa who had claimed that media exposés on the “extortionate” demands he made to businessman Mr Conrad “Billy” Rautenbach were politically-motivated, Prof Moyo said:

“This is the ultimate corrupt act to say you abuse public funds, you are caught with your hands in the till, it is published and then you say it is destroying the party.

“That is the worst expression of corruption.

“You want us to keep quiet under the pretext that what you did that is unlawful was for your party and that if it comes out — just because you belong to that political party — you will go down with the political party. That doesn’t make sense.

“That is a primitive understanding of things. It is you and you alone, carry your cross. It has nothing to do with the party.”

He went on: “What you are doing is not in the constitution of the party, not in the regulations of the party, not in the policies of the party. It is actually against the party. You were stealing alone.

“If we keep quiet about it and then the public discovers outside the media, they will say this guy was stealing for the party. They will say this party is corrupt and all they are talking about is some guy.”