Mnangagwa Troubled By Source Of Funds For Harare Upmarket Mansions

PRESIDENT Emmerson Mnangagwa says he is shocked by the number of expensive mansions that continue to sprout in Harare’s eastern upmarket suburbs and was concerned over how the owners were getting the funds to construct the plush properties.

Addressing the Zanu PF Midlands province executive in Gweru Saturday, the president said even after toiling for 30 years, an ordinary worker would not be able to raise enough money to construct only a portion of any of the houses that were under construction in the area.

“If I could lend you my helicopter, but unfortunately I can’t lend it to you, you would fly to the eastern part of Harare and view the hills there and see the houses that have been constructed,” Mnangagwa said.

“But the person who stays there, does he work? Even if he works 24 hours a day for 30 years, he won’t be able to buy one side of the building material that was used for the construction of the house.

“In Zimbabwe, all of us now own houses. They are no longer mortgages. But let us use honest means of building our homes. We need a disciplined, clean, and uncorrupt society.”

Ironically, Mnangagwa’s comments come at a time he was being accused of paying lip service to dealing with high level corruption by his cronies.

He is also accused of ordering prosecutions on allies who are later freed under unclear circumstances by the courts only for the cases to die natural deaths.

Two of his former ministers, Prisca Mupfumira and Obadiah Moyo are on bail facing separate charges of corruption related offences.

However, Mnangagwa said he would leave no stone unturned in his crusade against corruption.

“Let me assure you that I will leave no stone unturned in order to bring discipline, bring about transparency, bring about accountability in all local authorities and government.”

A lot of senior officials at the Harare City Council who include former mayor Herbert Gomba, town clerk Hosiah Chisango, and suspended housing director Addmore Nhekairo have been arrested on charges of illegally parcelling and selling council land to private developers.

Chisango and Nhekairo are in remand prison and are expected to appear in court Monday for their bail application.

The clean up at the Harare City Council has also seen the arrest of senior police officers and court officials.