Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai yesterday said politically-motivated trumped up charges will not distract him from carrying out national business.
The Premier said he was aware Zanu PF had upped its game by threatening his life and office by flagging false charges against him.
His spokesperson, Luke Tamborinyoka, said the latest charge of embezzlement of funds meant to cover renovations at his official residence in Highlands, were part of the grand scheme to arrest him ahead of impending elections.
Tamborinyoka said the allegations carried in yesterday’s edition of the Sunday Times were “part of the political threats to his life and office”. “The PM is not shaken at all. In fact, he has said before that he is prepared to rot in jail if arrested for political reasons,” he said.
However, police spokesperson Andrew Phiri yesterday said he was not aware Tsvangirai was under investigation.
“I am not aware of this issue,” he said. However, according to reports, the plot was being masterminded by Zanu PF die-hard supporters in government determined to nail him before the next round of elections.
Branded a “national security threat” by his political nemesis in Zanu PF, Tsvangirai has been under pressure of late due to various plots to arrest him and his MDC-T top officials.
In the latest case, Tsvangirai is reportedly being probed for allegedly siphoning off funds during the renovation of the property, which was acquired for him by the government in 2009 after President Robert Mugabe declined to let him stay at either Zimbabwe State House or any other State houses.
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“The PM is not directly involved in the project. Government is renovating the house on his behalf,” said Tamborinyoka.
“The Prime Minister is prepared to answer to any question relating to his house in Buhera (his rural home) and his house in Strathaven where he has been living, notwithstanding the existence of the Prime Minister’s House in Harare.
Anything to do with renovations at his official residence in Harare has to do with the relevant government departments and in this case the Ministry of Public Works who are handling all the renovations.”
A few weeks ago, Tsvangirai survived yet another plot to arrest him over allegations of labelling President Mugabe a liar. Instead, police descended on Jameson Timba, Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office, and only released him after a High Court order.
Over the past months, Tsvangirai has been a target for politically-motivated arrests — with charges ranging from corruption, plotting to topple the government, attacking judges to sex scandals.
