Sneak peek into Mnangagwa book buyers who coughed up US$755,700

By Nyashadzashe Ndoro | Nehanda Politics |

President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s biography, A life of Sacrifice, authored by former MDC Alliance senior official Eddie Cross, became a bestseller book after it sold 50 380 copies right at its launch at State House on Thursday.

The book was priced at US$15. It means more than half a million, specifically US$755,700, was splashed yesterday at the launch of the book.

Nehanda Radio took a sneak peek into the buyers of the books who happened to be government officials and local business people.

1. Pedzai Scott Sakupwanya

He is a gold dealer popularly known as Scott. In 2020, he posted controversial pictures on social media with dozens of gold bars raising suspicions that he was a runner of top government officials.

Fidelity Printers and Refiners general manager Fradreck Kunaka later on had to exonerate Scott saying he was contributing immensely to gold deliveries at Fidelity.

The matter came to light a few days after Mnangagwa’s relative, Henrietta Rushwaya was arrested at Robert Mugabe International Airport trying to smuggle 6.09kgs of gold to Dubai.

Earlier this year, Scott who is also believed to be Mnangagwa’s sidekick faced arrest after his Better Brands Mining Company illegally snatched 132 gold mining blocks from Redwing Mine in Penhalonga in connivance with Redwing judicial manager, Cecil Madondo.

Mnangagwa appointed him last week into a committee that is supposed to raise US$140 million for Zanu PF campaign ahead of 2023 harmonised elections.

Scott was also a delegate at the launch of the book that narrates Mnangagwa’s biography.

2. Farai Jere

Jere is a Zimbabwe businessman and chairman of a local football club, CAPS United. He is currently in court facing US$3.5 million fraud charges jointly charged with his company, Helcraw Electrical, in an alleged conspiracy to supply smart meters without quality checks which has also sucked in two ZESA engineers Leonard Chisina and Kuziva Chikonzo.

Yesterday, he bought his own bundles of books in what appeared to be efforts to impress the Zanu PF boss.

3. John Mushayavanhu

He is the Group Chief Executive of FBC Holdings since June 2011. It is believed that Mushayavanhu is eying for the top Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) post currently occupied by John Panonetsa Mangudya whose term expires after three years.

While being the top leader, in May this year, the bank allegedly faced a lawsuit after it sent an emissary to try and bribe judge Justice Esther Mhazo Muremba hours before she was due to deliver her judgment. The Judicial Service Commission (JSC) confirmed this.

It is alleged that the bank delivered a gift bag to Justice Muremba on March 29, and when its representative was challenged, he claimed it was a “Christmas present.”

4. Alex Mashamhanda

Mashamhanda popularly known as Mashwede, is a prominent businessman who owns Mashwede Village which is under Mashwede Holdings.

He was one of the big funders of the MDC. At one point he was denied access to expand his business empire into Mbare, then a Zanu PF stronghold, because he was MDC.

He was at the State House buying “A life of Sacrifice”.

Observers believe that the businessman wanted to impress Mnangagwa in order to secure his businesses in Zimbabwe.

5. Ministers

Present were Mines and Mining Development Minister Winston Chitando, Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister Monica Mutsvangwa, and Higher and Tertiary Education, Innovation, Science and Technology Development Minister, Professor Amon Murwira. They all bought their own books, exciting their boss.

6. Cabinet, Mnangagwa family

The cabinet was also there comprising Mnangagwa himself joined by his wife Auxillia and Chief Secretary to the President and Cabinet Misheck Sibanda.

The book was written by former Bulawayo South legislator, Eddie Cross and it was published by Jarach Media who were represented by Rachel Jambaya.

Basically less than 20 people splashed US$755,700 buying the controversial book of praise.

Speaking at the launch, Mnangagwa said he sacrificed for the country.

“Our nation is underpinned by continual sacrifices. What differs is the form and nature of sacrifice demanded of us at every development stage of our nation, and the circumstances that face and shape it.

“In our case, we had to pick up arms, suffer incarceration, suffer injuries, and even die to win back our freedoms and collective independence. We are a generation that bore arms and went to war, in the process making sacrifices.

“Today’s generation must make sacrifices for our nation. This is demanded of them to advance the new development epoch we are facing,” he said. Nehanda Radio