THE cancer of abusing the name of the President or top government officials for personal mileage in business has rolled over to the new dispensation where President Mnangagwa’s name has been dragged in the mud by self proclaimed ‘allies’.
This has threatened property rights and has potential to scare off investors.
This tradition was popular in the Robert Mugabe administration where former First Lady Grace Mugabe’s name was used by so called allies who had ulterior motives to expand personal business interests.
Such behaviour has permeated the new administration and President Mnangagwa has been on record condemning such appalling behaviour that is retrogressive to nation development and works against the ‘Zim is open for business’ mantra.
There is a new ‘cabal’ of cheeky businessmen (and women) who abuse the names of high positioned people in government for selfish gains.
Most of them abuse property rights in a development that poses a threat to the rule of law.
Some abuse people in the name of political parties, some in the name of Mnangagwa, some in the name of the first Lady Auxilia Mnangagwa while some in the name of opposition leader Nelson Chamisa for their political and financial benefits.
Recently in Kwekwe, Zanu PF members invaded gold rich Gaika mine and they were mining illegally .
They defied court orders and used and abused Mnangagwa’s name.
The illegal mining operations at Gaika had no blessings of Mnangagwa but the illegal miners claimed the loot was destined for the First Family.
Some of the artisanal miners who spoke to Zim Morning Post during the illegal operations era at Gaika absolved Mnangagwa and revealed that they ‘declared’ half of the loot to senior party officials.
They implicated former Mbizo MP Vongai Mupereri and Gweru businessman Douglas Kwande.
“After mining gold we take at least 50% and the other 50% goes to meet other expenses and it also pays a token to senior party leaders like Kwande and Mupereri.
“These chefs own big gold mills where we take the gold.
“They said they are representing the president but we later realised that all lies,” said an artisanal miner.
Investigations which were carried by Zim Morning Post proved that the owners of Gaika mine in-fact instituted legal proceedings against Mupereri and a High Court ruling was given ordering him to stop illegal operations.
This case and threat on property rights using powerful names is not isolated to Kwekwe.
In February Zim Morning Post visited small scale miners in Kadoma where it was revealed that some artisanal miners were using the name of the first lady.
“Here at Cricket mine we have other comrades who come here saying that they are related to the first lady (Auxilia Mnangagwa) while they are not even related to the first lady in any way,” said the artisanal miners.
This behaviour should be criminalised as this tarnish other people’s images, culprits who do this should be brought to book.
Its tantamount to misrepresentation and ‘impersonation’.
Only last week in Mazowe they were squabbles at Elliot mine where armed individuals invaded the mine claiming to have been sent by the First Lady.
They later confessed that they had no association in anyway with the First Family after being asked to prove by police.
The same mine was also under dispute in Mugabe era after Grace Mugabe claimed ownership and dispersed bonafide owners and villagers in surrounding areas.