‘Minister funded graduation protests’

Source: ‘Minister funded graduation protests’ | The Sunday Mail October 9, 2016

Senior Reporter

The Zimbabwe Congress of Students Union claims that Higher and Tertiary Education, Science and Technology Minister, Professor Jonathan Moyo, and his deputy Dr Godfrey Gandawa, used part of the money allegedly siphoned from the Zimbabwe Manpower Development Fund to sponsor a demonstration against President Mugabe at last month’s graduation ceremony at the University of Zimbabwe.The Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission is investigating Prof Moyo, Dr Gandawa and three others for allegedly defrauding around US$430 000 from Zimdef. They are also being probed for alleged money laundering.
The minister and his deputy were not available for comment yesterday as their mobile phones went unanswered.
Zicosu president Tonderai Chidawa yesterday alleged that Prof Moyo was colluding with deans of students (names supplied) at some State universities to organise student demonstrations against President Mugabe at graduation ceremonies.
He alleged there were plans to demonstrate against the President at this week’s graduation ceremony at Chinhoyi University of Science and Technology. Another demonstration, he alleged, was planned for the graduation ceremony at Bindura University of Science and Technology later this month.
“The minister has been sponsoring the disturbances meant to embarrass the President during graduation ceremonies by using some of the money he stole from Zimdef,” charged Chidawa. “We have gathered that he is working with some pliant deans of students at some universities to organise former student leaders to demonstrate against the President.
“In the case of one Leonard Dombo, who was arrested at UZ during the graduation ceremony, we have been informed that he was funded by the professor.”
He said the plot was mooted last year when Prof Moyo met student leaders from all universities in Msasa, Harare.
A statement issued yesterday reads, “We as members of Zicosu are befuddled by the conduct of the Minister of Higher and Tertiary Education as we have gathered that where the minister is supposed to be executing his mandate; he is in fact doing the contrary.
“It is common knowledge that appointed officials have a duty to do their jobs and protect the President. However, to our utter dismay we have gathered that Minister Moyo, while pretending to be fully behind our President is actually working to humiliate the country’s leadership through organising demonstrations with elements who are vehemently opposed to the President in the forthcoming graduation ceremonies across the country.
“We are aware that the minister has paid significant amounts of money to vagabonds, deranged and bigoted elements within the graduating community to demonstrate against the President.
“We find it appalling that a whole minister can actually hobnob with riff ruffs (sic) in a futile bid to embarrass not only the President but the nation as a whole to fulfill his nefarious agendas.”
On Friday, the Zimbabwe National Students Union called for Prof Moyo to resign over the Zimdef allegations.