Minister Chombos wealth raises eyebrows

The mind boggling wealth of the minister, exposed in the Herald newspaper Friday, says nothing about the actual sources and means of wealth accumulation since the start of his political career. Chombos riches are revealed in damning court documents after his wife of 25 years, Marian, filed for a hefty divorce pay-out. Marian is claiming US$2,000 per month in maintenance and a sizeable share of his personal fortune and property.

Documents show that Chombo has tentacles in virtually all sectors of the economy. They include interests in several farms, mines, hunting safari lodges in Chiredzi, Hwange, Magunje and Chirundu, as well as properties in South Africa. Local properties include 75 residential and commercial stands plus 14 houses and 5 flats, all dotted around the country. And lets not forget his 15 vehicles.

The remarkable growth of Chombos assets, a former university of Zimbabwe lecturer who joined politics about 15 years ago, fueled further speculation about his abuse of his position in government to accumulate his wealth. The MDC-T took aim at his spectacular wealth arguing that there is no way a single, honest person in high office could have managed to acquire such treasure, other than through abuse of office.

The published part of the vast personal asset register of Ignatius Chiminya Chombo, a close ally of Robert Mugabe, a senior ZANU PF politburo member and a cabinet minister, arising from his marriage dispute before the High Court, clearly points to his unsuitability for public office, the MDC-T said in a statement on Friday.

The salary and benefits of cabinet ministers are a matter of public record. It is without doubt that Chombo, a former teacher, neither inherited the wealth nor ever owned a business empire to justify personal ownership of such a sickening amount of wealth, The party added that Chombo must simply be relieved of his official duties and called to account, as he is clearly unfit for public office.

MDC-99 President Job Sikhala said charges of unexplained, hidden and ill-gotten wealth have hounded Chombo since his appointment as Local Government Minister.

Given the very limited resources that are open to him as a public servant, how could he afford it, this much property. He must have extraordinary acumen but as far as I and other Zimbabweans are concerned that is ill-gotten wealth and he must be in prison as of yesterday, Sikhala said.

In fact he is one of the most corrupt individuals in the country. As far as the indices indicator for corruption, he must be number two now from Obert Mpofu. I read with shock that he has properties as far as Binga and Chirundu, some of the remote areas in the country. Everyone in Zimbabwe is astonished by what has been exposed by the Herald, the former student leader added.

He went on demand Chombos immediate resignation to pave way for a commission of enquiry to look into how he managed to acquire such a vast array of properties. Sikhala said there was a clear collusion between Chombo and officials from the various local government authorities where he has properties.

The man literally looted and plundered almost everything in his path. We pray to god that he has been unable to rob and steal from us the free oxygen that we breathe, otherwise we could all be dead now, Sikhala said. The High court in Harare has yet to set a date for Chombo and his estranged wife, to hear evidence regarding contributions made by each of the parties in acquiring the properties.