‘Queen Bee’ laundering looted money sponsoring football: MDC Alliance
By Nyashadzashe Ndoro | Nehanda Politics |
The MDC Alliance has noted that controversial local tycoon Kudakwashe Tagwirei is ‘laundering looted’ funds through the recent US$5.3 million sponsorship of the country’s two biggest football clubs, Dynamos and Highlanders by his company Sakunda Holdings.
This comes after Tagwirei dished out US$5.3 million to the two big clubs and donated, on hand, US$180 000 from his pocket for buying houses for Dynamos legend Moses Chunga and his Highlanders counterpart Madinda Ndlovu.
On top of that, coaches and captains for both Dynamos and Highlanders also received cars from Tagwirei.
He also donated US$120 000 for the buying of a house for the late Dynamos star George Shaya’s family.
The US$5.3 million sponsorship for the big clubs is supposed to run for three seasons.
In an interview with Nehanda Radio on Thursday, MDC Alliance national spokesperson Fadzayi Mahere urged the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC) to investigate Tagwirei because he has been accused of massive corruption deals by different international agencies including the recent Sentry and Auditor-General reports.
“As the MDC Alliance, we are extremely concerned by the fact that looted funds are being used by Kudakwashe Tagwirei to sponsor football and to launder them through various community initiatives.
“What we are saying is that ZACC must execute its mandate and act on the various reports that have been issued including the Sentry report, the Auditor-General’s report and the Cartels report where Mr Tagwirei is being personally fingered.
“We don’t want public funds to be laundered. Whether it’s in the form of a football community or charity, it makes no difference to us. Zimbabweans are entitled to a fair share of resources and the only way we can achieve that is when there is accountability for the looting and corruption that we see.
“What we are concerned with is why there is selective application of the law. If there is so much evidence and reasonable suspicion that he has acted in a corrupt manner and looted funds, why is he a sacred cow? Is it because of his political connections,” Mahere said.
President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s top ally, Tagwirei and his companies have already been put under international sanctions over allegations of stealing public funds while being protected by top government officials.
Recently, the Sentry alleged that Tagwirei presides over a sprawling network of more than 40 companies spanning the oil, mining, banking, logistics, transportation, and import/export, which have been linked to alleged corrupt activities and state capture.
In July this year, the UK government through Dominic Raab, the country’s Foreign Secretary, announced that five individuals were involved in “serious corruption” in Equatorial Guinea, Venezuela and Iraq and placed them on targeted sanctions together with Tagwirei from Zimbabwe. Nehanda Radio
