ZANU PF politburo member and deputy national youth secretary Edson Chakanyuka is reportedly under probe from party youths who accuse him of diverting a tonne of sugar donated towards President Robert Mugabe’s 90th birthday celebrations last month. OBEY MANAYITI
Manicaland party youths told NewsDay yesterday that the sugar went missing before it was presented to Mugabe at the party headquarters in Harare.
Mugabe celebrated his 90th birthday last month with the main celebrations in Marondera, Mashonaland East province.
“Almost one tonne of sugar that was donated as a birthday present to President Mugabe went missing at the party headquarters in Harare,” an impeccable source said.
“Reports allege that Chakanyuka and other senior members in the youth league were involved. The senior members were seen by guards at the party headquarters loading the loot. Some executive members want the matter to be treated as a criminal offence and they want it to be handed over to police. However, others prefer it to be dealt with from within and they are pushing secretary for youth affairs (Absolom Sikhosana) to institute investigations.”
Although Chakanyuka confirmed receiving reports of the missing sugar, he, however, distanced himself from the alleged theft, saying the allegations were being peddled by his detractors.
“That is a lie. I never stole anything. I was the overseer of several departments and I gave some keys to those who were responsible for the safekeeping of the sugar. When I learnt that there was missing sugar though I cannot tell the quantity, I told my boss (Sikhosana) about it,” Chakanyuka said.
“I later heard that there are some other executive members who were saying I was involved in the stealing. It’s the work of some people who want my position. They just want to tarnish my name so that they take my position when we go for national executive elections.”
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The 2012 festivities saw the arrest of former Manicaland provincial chairperson Mike Madiro and his deputy Dorothy Mabika over charges of stealing cattle meant for the Zanu PF leader’s birthday bash.
The two were, however, later acquitted for lack of evidence after the trial magistrate referred the matter to be dealt with as an internal party issue.
