Former Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front Secretary for Administration Didymus Mutasa is reported to have parcelled out 15 farms to his wives, girlfriends and relatives according to The Sunday Mail. Although the paper lists some of the farms and whom they were given to, the revelation, if true, raises a lot of questions about governance and media independence in Zimbabwe. Do Zimbabweans have to wait until someone falls out of favour with the ruling party before the media can expose their hidden skeletons? The thoroughness with which the media, especially the State media, has been exposing disgraced politicians like former Vice-President Joice Mujuru, Mutasa and former party spokesman Rugare Gumbo, seems to support this view. Is the message: “Stay in the party or we will expose you”, something that would fortify that ZANU-PF survives on the system of patronage? Mutasa is also reported to have been pocketing $20 000 a month from eight properties belonging to the party. These properties are reported to be in the small town of Rusape. This, once again, raises questions about what type of properties these are, which attract more than $2 500, each, per month. And if ZANU-PF has eight properties in Rusape alone which attract that kind of rent, why does the party complain about being broke? Why does it have to go to supporters to raise funds for events like congress? Another issue that remains unanswered is how many wives does Mutasa have? How many lovers does he have? Is Zimbabwe politics all about money and women because the disease seems to have spread to the opposition in the four, short years of the inclusive government. Perhaps our readers could help answer some of the questions raised here because although the majority remains silent, they know the truth on the ground. Their silence, however, helps perpetuate the status quo.
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