Prisca Mupfumira
| Prisca Mupfumira | |
|---|---|
 Image Via Herald | |
| Born | Prisca Mupfumira |
| Nationality | Zimbabwe |
| Occupation |
|
| Employer | Government of Zimbabwe |
| Political party | Zimbabwe African National Union Patriotic Front |
Prisca Mupfumira is a Zimbabwean politician and former Minister of Tourism and Hospitality Industry. She is also the former Minister Of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare. She is also the Senator of Mashonaland West.
In July 2019, she was arrested on corruption allegations of corruption that she allegedly committed while she was labour minister. She appeared in court on 26 July 2019.
On 8 August 2019, she was fired from the position of minister following her corruption case.
Political Career
She was appointed a member of the Standing Orders and Rules Committee in 2013.[1] In 2014 she was elected into the Zimbabwe African National Union Patriotic Front Central Committee in Mashonaland West Province together with Philip Chiyangwa.[2] In December 2014, Mupfumira was appointed Minister of Public Services, Labour and Social Welfare, replacing Nicholas Goche.[3] She was also elevated to the ZANU-PF Politburo the same year.[4]
In early August 2019, she was fired from her position as minister of Tourism and Hospitality.
Arrest For Corruption in July 2019
On 25 July 2019, Prisca Mupfumira was arrested by the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC) on allegations of corruption she had committed while she was Minister Of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare.
Mupfumira had just returned home from the United Kingdom where she had accompanied the Zimbabwe World Cup Netball team to Liverpool. She became the first cabinet minister to be arrested by the Emmerson Mnangagwa government after its stated objective to fight corruption after winning the July 2018 Elections. ZACC chairperson, Justice Loice Matanda-Moyo said Mupfumira was facing allegations involving $95 million
On 26 July ZACC chairperson Mupfumira appeared in court where she was charged with the corruption allegations for:
- Influencing NSSA to take on Metbank as ‘fertilizer advisors’ in a Command Agriculture deal, against the advice of NSSA’s own risk department. NSSA issued Treasury Bills worth US$62 million into the custody of Metbank. The bank allegedly used TB’s worth US$37million and these remain unaccounted for.
- Mupfumira allegedly ordered NSSA to enter into two separate housing deals with entities owned by Metbank. One housing deal was worth US$6.1million while the other was worth US$4.7 million. There was no tender for the contracts.
- Directing NSSA to enter into a US$6.5 million housing project in Gweru with Drawcard Investments, without going to tender
Mupfumira pleaded not guilty to the charges. Her legal team was led by David Chinyama. He lawyers argued that she had not benefited anything in her capacity as the allegations mentioned by the state were verbal directives to NSSA without any evidence to show that any money went to Mupfumira. They also argued that the issue was really civil matter between Nssa and MetBank. NSSA, they argued has a board that approves payments and officers that make them. The lawyers also argued that if anyone in her ministry had a case to answer it was the Permanent Secretary since that position does not report to the minister but the Office of the President and Cabinet.
On 28 July, Mupfumira was remanded in custody for 21 days.
References
- ↑ Paidamoyo Muzulu Mudenda causes storm in parly Mudenda causes storm in parly, Published: October 16, 2013, Retrieved: July 24, 2015
- ↑ Obey Manayiti Muchinguri, Mutsvangwa retain Zanu PF central committee posts, NewsDay, Published: November 23, 2015, Retrieved: July 24, 2015
- ↑ Hebert Zharare, President unveils new ministers, Herald, Published: December 12, 2014, Retrieved: July 24, 2015
- ↑ Chidarikire under fire over First Lady 'joke', Herald, Published: December 29, 2015, Retrieved: July 24, 2015
