Higher Education Minister Jonathan Moyo, who is currently embroiled in the Zimbabwe Manpower Development Fund scandal, was named as one of those in President Robert Mugabe’s inner-circle who did not want change because they were enriching themselves.
Moyo, who was Information Minister at the time, was named by Standard Chartered Bank chief executive Washington Matsaira as one of the “hawks” in Mugabe’s government who were either enriching themselves from the government’s interventionist policies of early 2003 or were unwilling to press Mugabe for change.
Others mentioned were Finance Minister Patrick Chinamasa who was Justice Minister at the time, Joseph Made who was, and still is, Minister of Agriculture and Home Affairs Minister Ignatius Chombo who held the Public Works portfolio.
Matsaira said one of the ways these top government officials were enriching themselves was through getting United States dollars at the official rate when the black market rate was ballooning.
Moyo is currently under the spotlight for allegedly abusing ZIMDEF funds totaling $450 000 but denies any wrongdoing.
Chomo was outed as one of the richest government ministers when he divorced his first wife, Marian and she took him to court for her share of the vast empire they had established.
Below are the Wikileaks cables that mention Moyo’s name:
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