By Tendai Matunhu
The arrest of Minister of Environment, Tourism and Hospitality Industry, Prisca Mupfumira by the newly teethed Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC) has been received with jubilation as citizens celebrate the first bite of the anti-graft body.
Minister Mupfumira is facing various charges, among them getting a US$90 000 loan from NSSA to buy a car, using US$303 000 of NSSA money for her political campaign, using US$101 814.80 from NSSA’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) budget and also influencing NSSA to buy four Metbank properties for about US$4.9million.
She also stands accused of leaning on NSSA to place US$62m Treasury Bills with Metbank, against the advice of NSSA’s risk committee. Metbank proceeded to use US$37m of the Treasury Bills, which remain unaccounted for.
Netizens have celebrated on Twitter with independent Norton legislator, Themba Mliswa saying, “Looting of public funds by officials entrusted with the welfare of people should not be seen as normal. Ngoma yarira now and garwe rabuda mumvura. This is the real President Mnangagwa when the corrupt are arrested. The incarceration of such people like Mupfumira should lay the mark for what President Mnangagwa’s era should be like. No room for corruption.”
Another netizen @mmatigari tweeted saying, “Mupfumira’s arrest shows the fight against corruption is on, just like others before her! Her conviction is dependent on good prosecution, and ultimately up to the courts!”
One netizen, Jones Musara tweeted saying, “In the old dispensation, Ministers were shielded from arrest. Manje naPresident Mnangagwa hakuna izvozvo. Saka mashefu do not engage in corruption, The President won't shield you. Honai Minister Mupfumira vasungwa for corruption!”
Zanu PF Youth League has also welcomed Minister Mupfumira's arrest describing it as a sign that President Mnangagwa is now walking the talk on corruption fight. Zanu PF Youth League Political Commissar, Godfrey Tsenengamu said the arrest justified the Youth League which last month released a list of people that it claimed to be sabotaging the economy and it included Minister Mupfumira.
Tsenengamu said that over the years, corrupt Ministers were untouchable, milking State resources, but with the new dispensation under President Mnangagwa’s leadership, corruption is not being tolerated.
Tsenengamu also said, “President Emmerson Mnangagwa has shown his cynics that he meant his words in fighting against the country's number one enemy, corruption. Today one of the people named, Mupfumira has been picked up and this is a clear message to all those on the list that the long arm of the law will soon catch up with them.”
President Mnangagwa is stern on the fight against corruption. He is on record for calling for a corrupt free nation. The new ZACC Chairperson, Justice Loice Matanda-Moyo recently warned that she was not going to hold back and would leave no stone unturned. Justice Matanda-Moyo also said the NSSA audit report was now before her warning that arrests were imminent.
