The vice-president of the Thokozani Khupe-led faction of the Movement for Democratic Change, Obert Gutu, says the narrative that only politicians from the ruling Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front are corrupt is false and puerile.
“A good number of politicians in Zimbabwe, across the political divide, are notoriously corrupt,” he said.
“In opposition political parties, millions of US dollars from donors have been looted,” he added without giving details.
Gutu has been a senior member of the main opposition and was its spokesman before the split this year.
He was also deputy Minister of Justice during the inclusive government.
“Those in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones,” he said on his twitter handle. “During the GNU era, many corrupt deals were cut by Ministers and Deputy Ministers, across the political divide. This ‘holier than thou’ attitude makes some of us absolutely sick!.”
Gutu has been accused of focussing on the main rival Movement for Democratic Change Alliance than on the ruling party prompting some to accuse him of seeking accommodation with ZANU-PF.
But he has not relented despite a deluge of insults against him.
“I was the Deputy Minister of Justice & Legal Affairs during the GNU era. After the GNU ended, I, including ALL my colleagues who were Ministers & Deputy Ministers, also bought off our official vehicles at knock down prices,” he said in apparent reference to stories that only ministers from the ZANU-PF government are enjoying these benefits.
“I just wanted to set the record straight,” he said.
President Emmerson Mnangagwa has made the fight against corruption one of his priorities but while scores of senior politicians have been arrested there have so far not been any convictions except that of former Energy Minister Samuel Undenge.
This was, however, over a paltry amount of $12 000 but Undenge was acquitted on a charge that involved a bigger amount, $5.6 million. He is appealing against the conviction.
An Insider reader has chipped in saying Zimbabweans are so corrupt that if you put them in the Sahara there will be a shortage of sand within a week.
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