Mnangagwa rebukes Chiwenga over fundraising dinner no-show

President Emmerson Mnangagwa on Tuesday publicly rebuked his deputy Constantino Chiwenga and other ZANU PF Politburo members for missing a party fundraising dinner held last Saturday.

The rebuke came at the start of a Politburo meeting in Harare that marked the beginning of ZANU PF’s annual conference. In an open session, Mnangagwa singled out members of the party’s highest decision-making body between congresses who had not attended.

“I sincerely thank the conference organising committee and the resource mobilisation subcommittee for organising a hugely successful Presidential Fundraising Dinner Ball. Congratulations,” he said.

“Some of you came, some of you did not come, but you’re members of the Politburo. You hear me?”

Among those absent from the Presidential Fundraising Ball, held at the Harare Hippodrome, which is owned by preacher Uebert Angel, were Vice President Chiwenga, Engelbert Rugeje and Obert Mpofu. Organisers claimed the event raised $9.4 million.

Chiwenga also skipped Monday’s swearing-in of businessman Kudakwashe Tagwirei as a minister at State House.

The Vice President has not publicly explained his absence from the fundraising dinner. Some observers have speculated that he wanted to avoid sharing a platform with some of the President’s wealthy associates, including Tagwirei and gold dealer Scott Sakupwanya.

Chiwenga has previously described the two men and other wealthy allies of the President as “zvigananda” – a Shona word for a blood-engorged tick – which refers to wealthy elites who accumulate riches through corrupt practices, patronage, or control of state resources.

More: ZimLive

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