(NEWZIMBABWE) PM under pressure over Makone

PM under pressure over Makone
05/07/2010 00:00:00

PRIME Minister Morgan Tsvangirai is reportedly under pressure to discipline Co-Home Affairs Minister Theresa Makone following embarrassing revelations that she ganged-up with a Zanu PF colleague to interfere with police investigations.

Makone was named Home Affairs minister in the recent MDC-T cabinet reshuffle which the Prime Minister said was aimed at strengthening “the performance of the MDC-T in government and outside government, in order to deliver real change to the people of Zimbabwe”.

However, barely two weeks into her new portfolio, Makone has been accused by police of trying to intimidate officers into releasing Presidential Affairs colleague and senior Zanu PF member Didymus Mutasa’s son who was arrested on fraud allegations.
Makone is said be related to Mutasa.

ZRP spokesperson Wayne Bvudzijena said the two visited police stations in Harare’s Mbare residential area and tried to get Mutasa’s son, Martin, released from custody.

Martin was arrested along with businessman Themba Mliswa for allegedly swindling a Harare businessman of shares worth US$1 million.

Makone has not commented on the claims but Mutasa dismissed the police allegations as “nonsense” saying he only behaved as any father would in similar circumstances.

But the allegations have sparked outrage in the MDC-T’s national executive with some members urging Tsvangirai to reprimand Makone.

Others called for her resignation, insisting the allegations “brought the party into disrepute”.

"We discussed her (Makone’s) conduct (last) Friday as the national executive and we agreed that she should explain what transpired. We feel she has let our party and the people down," one national executive member was reported as saying.

Still, other MDC-T members were skeptical over the prospects any action being taken against Makone because of the enormous influence she and her husband wield over the party.

Makone and husband, Ian, are said to be key allies of the MDC-T leader.

The family is also among the party’s major financiers.

Meanwhile, although Mutasa denies any wrong doing, police have refused to back down from their allegations.

Mutasa claimed he only visited the police stations to find out why his son had been arrested.

“As a father I have the right to visit my son, especially when he has been arrested,” Mutasa said.

The Zanu PF politburo member also complained about the state of the police cells where martin was held, claiming conditions there were worse than under Ian Smith’s settler regime.