Can Mugabe jail Mujuru?

Vice-President Joice Mujuru who was unceremoniously squeezed out of the Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front could be jailed if allegations of corruption levelled against her are proved, President Robert Mugabe said.  “Vakaita mhosva chaidzo chaidzo dzecorruption hwabuda humbowo hwakanaka, vachatongwa. Ruzivo rwatinenge tapihwa kana wanga uri minister, civil servant, basa rinobva rapera. Tipei humbowo hwakakwana,” he said. Mujuru, and party secretary for administration Didymus Mutasa and Labour Minister Nicholas Goche have not attended the party congress currently under way. “Munoona tinemagwanza nhasi pamusoro pedu apo. Vamwe vedu varipi? Hatina kuvatanda. Hatina kuti regai kuuya. Tanga tatoti vauye muvaone munzwe zvavanotaura. Kungosvotoka vasina kutiudza kuti chii chaita kuti varovhe? Ndiwo maitiro embavhaka iwayo. Mbavha, mbavha, haibudirire nguva yese…Makatipa muchiti munotipa mwana akanaka asi chionai zvitadzo zvacho zvemumacompanies, gold, diamonds, zvakawanda.  Dai dzainyorwa dzese mhosva dzinopomerwa ava, kuti tingazadza mabooks mangani. Zvino vatungamiriri kana tasarudzwa  nevanhu hamuna kunzi takusarudzai kuti muve mbavha. Murikusarudzirwa kunzi mupedze humbavha hwese. We should never send a thief to catch a thief. Zvino kana isu tinenge tatumwa kuti tinatse musha tobva tava mbavha achabata mbavha ndiani? Tochenjera isu ndisu tinosarudza vanhu tinofanira kuongorora maitire emunhu.”  Zimbabwe was last year ranked as the third most corrupt country in Africa. The arrest of Mujuru would send a clear message to the public that the government does not tolerate corruption.  But her arrest and that of Goche and Mutasa, alone, might be viewed as a personal vendetta because they have fallen-out with the party. If Mugabe wants to send a clear message he must also include some of his lieutenants within the party who are alleged to be corrupt. For example, there was salarygate at the beginning of this year, but the culprits are still free.

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