George Charamba, who is the Deputy Chief Secretary to the President and Cabinet (Presidential Communications), said that allegations that President Emmerson Mnangagwa has a hand in the activities of violent machete gangs (MaShurugwi) across the country are just that, “allegations”.
Responding to questions from NewZimbabwe.com, Charamba said he did not need to comment on the allegations. He said:
Those are just allegations. They will remain allegations and you are actually making my job much easier because this is beneath my comment, and I also treat these questions with contempt. So I have no comment to that.
Former ZANU PF politburo member, Jonathan Moyo and former Mashonaland Central Provincial chairperson Dickson Mafios have alleged that Mnangagwa and state security minister Owen Ncube are the godfathers of the ruthless thugs.
MDC leader Nelson Chamisa recently challenged Mnangagwa to speak out against the MaShurugwi menace if he had no interest in illegal gold-mining activities.