It has also emerged that senior party officials wanted the trust funds to be used to campaign for the party in the watershed elections scheduled for later this year. Launched amid pomp and fanfare, the trust was supposed to have a staggering $2,5 million dollars in its account – pledged by companies allegedly targeted to be taken over by the government under its controversial indigenisation drive in Masvingo.
Investigations by The Zimbabwean revealed that the companies, including Tongaat Hulett, Bikita minerals, Murowa diamonds and Renco Mine, backtracked after learning that only Zanu (PF) stalwarts had been named as Trustees of the fund. Sources within some of these companies told this newspaper that they could not pour money where they were not sure how it would be used.
“We have heard that these funds would be used to oil Zanu (PF)’s campaign at the expense of benefitting the community, so we refused to part with our money,” said one source.
Indigenisation minister Saviour Kasukuwere was forced to come back to Masvingo last week to try and resolve the teething problems affecting the Masvingo Community Share ownership scheme. He met Zanu (PF) supporters but could not engage the companies involved as they shunned the meeting. The still-born trust is currently chaired by the president of the council of chiefs Fortune Charumbira, who refused to talk about the goings on and referred all questions to Kasukuwere.
The party said recently it was investigating some officials, including politburo member Dzikamai Mavhaire, for allegedly blocking companies from releasing funds into the trust fund.
Post published in: News