By Christopher Makaza
The arrest of Presidential Affairs, Monitoring and Implementation of Government Programmes, Joram Gumbo yesterday by the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC) for criminal abuse of office, has been commended by political analysts who said President Emmerson Mnangagwa`s anti-corruption crusade knows no sacred cows as claimed by opposition elements.
Minister Gumbo becomes the second minister in President Mnangagwa’s government to be arrested by the anti-corruption body after former Tourism Minister, Prisca Mupfumira who was arrested in July this year. Mupfumira is facing corruption charges involving US$95 million and she spent 21 days at Chikurubi Prison after she was repeatedly denied bail.
Political analyst, Simbarashe Mugwati said Minister Gumbo`s arrest was a clear testimony of how serious President Mnangagwa is on dealing with corruption and will leave no stone unturned regardless of one`s closeness to him and one`s political and social status.
“Gumbo’s arrest silences critics of the President, whom they have accused of lacking commitment to fight corruption citing the arrests of mainly former G40 elements such as former Cabinet ministers Ignatius Chombo, Saviour Kasukuwere and Joseph Made among others.
“The President has been accused of sparing alleged members of his inner circle in his anti-corruption crusade and Gumbo’s arrest proves that the President through ZACC is shielding no one from the long arm of the law,” he said.
“There is nothing amiss with the arrest of Gumbo because the president is on record saying there won’t be any sacred cows in the fight against corruption. However, that does not mean to say Gumbo is guilty or that his trial will be done and dusted tomorrow. We need to let the law take its course,” said another political commentator Mrs Josphine Mharadzano.
Minister Gumbo is being accused of forcing Zimbabwe Airways, a company he caused to be formed, to enter into property deals with his niece Mavis Gumbo, allegedly prejudicing the government of US$1 million during the time he was heading the transport ministry.
The complainant in the matter is the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development.
In July this year, Permanent Secretary in Zimbabwe’s tourism ministry, Munesu Munodawafa, was also arrested by the country’s anti-graft body for alleged abuse of office.
