CHINHOYI — Zanu PF Hurungwe East MP Sarah Mahoka yesterday told the court here that President Robert Mugabe, his party Zanu PF and the Central Intelligence Organisation (CIO) were one and the same thing.
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The legislator, who on Tuesday said she was a Grade Two school dropout, also said aspiring Zanu PF candidates had to send their electin candidature papers to the CIO for vetting.
Mahoka made the startling revelation while giving evidence in the on-going trial of businessman-cum-politician Temba Mliswa and nine others facing political violence charges.
She had been asked by defence lawyer Mike Mutsvairo how she came to know of Mliswa and Patrick Mabonga’s interest in contesting the Hurungwe West constituency on a Zanu PF ticket.
“I saw Mliswa and Mabonga’s papers at the President’s Office which had called for aspiring candidates to submit their papers. That is also where I submitted my own papers. This is not a figment of my imagination. It actually happened,” Mahoka said.
The defence lawyer further quizzed the legislator whether she appreciated the role of the CIO in the selection of Zanu PF candidates.
“What were the papers doing at the President’s Office? Since you went to school up to Grade Two, let me educate you. Essentially, the role of that office is to ensure national security. And is calling for Zanu PF nominations part of national security?” Mutsvairo asked.
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A visibly irritated Mahoka said one could not draw a line between President Mugabe, Zanu PF and CIO. She also claimed she still had the text message in her mobile phone from the CIO calling for Zanu PF candidates to submit papers to its offices.
The Zanu PF lawmaker denied harbouring a sinister agenda against Mliswa.
Allegations against Mliswa and his co-accused are that they waylaid and attacked Mahoka and her entourage on February 22 this year at Zimonja business centre, Zvipani in Hurungwe West.
Chinhoyi magistrate Sam Chituma heard that the suspects used bricks, fists and booted feet to assault the MP and her driver before deflating tyres of her vehicle. Mahoka claims she sustained a broken leg and lost $1 223, an iPhone valued at $800, a digital camera, a Zanu PF beret and identity documents.
But the suspects have since denied the charge, with Mliswa claiming Mahoka was raising the allegations to damage his political reputation and prop up her preferred candidate Dorcas Bere ahead of harmonised elections likely to be held later this year.
However, Mahoka said she did not know Bere. The trial continues today.
