by Claver Nyuki

Despite concerted efforts to portray former Zanu PF politburo member, Saviour Kasukuwere as a principled leader fit enough to occupy the highest office in the country, corruption allegations continue to filter on social media from the time he was in Government.

Former Harare City Council Town Clerk, James Mushore accused Kasukuwere of blocking his appointment claiming that he was not part of the G40 faction. Posting on his Twitter handle, Mushore said, “When I was appointed town clerk, I was told that Saviour Kasukuwere (SK), then Local Government Minister, wanted my appointment reversed. I called SK and asked him what his problem was. He said, “You are not one of us.”

 “I said that I was as Zimbabwean as he was. He repeated you are not one of us. I said if you mean that I am not Zanu PF like you, well I didn’t belong to any political party. As town clerk, my role was to serve all the residents of Harare, regardless of political affiliation,” he alleged.

Mushore went on to allege that Kasukuwere would bribe councillors in order to influence approval of contracts. “I got to know that for many councillors, the allowance (then about $300) was their only source of income and that if a council executive needed a contract approved, they simply offered certain councillors $500 for their signature.

“Whilst Ben Manyenyeni was suspended, SK then bribed or threatened Chris Mbanga, an MDC Councillor and deputy mayor, to suspend me. I ignored the letter and continued going to the office. They then put lock blocks on my office doors to prevent my access. I now understood what Kasukuwere meant when he said, “You are not one of us”. He meant that I wasn’t a thief like him,” Mushore added.

Many corruption cases against the self-exiled former Minister of Local Government continue to be levelled against him together with other former party members inclusive of Professor Jonathan Moyo and Patrick Zhuwawo who all decided to flee the country than face their allegations in court.