This article was written by Our reporter on 16 August, at 12 : 05 PM
The opposition Movement for Democratic Change is crying foul over the alleged role of Nikuv International Projects in rigging Zimbabwe’s July 31 general elections, but party leader Morgan Tsvangirai, and his top brass have been dealing with the Israeli company.
A report by the Mail & Guardian newspaper shows that as early as last year Tsvangirai was working with a Nikuv subsidiary that deals in agricultural equipment.
Nikuv’s sister company, Pedstock Investments, supplied and installed drip irrigation equipment at Tsvangirai’s rural homestead in Humanikwa village in Buhera, Manicaland, last year.
Outgoing Deputy Prime Minister Thokozani Khuphe, the party’s vice-president, also bought the same drip irrigation equipment from the Nikuv company.
Tsvangirai’s trusted lieutenant and chief secretary, Ian Makone, and his wife, Theresa, who is the outgoing home affairs minister and the MDC-T Women’s Assembly leader, also had a drip irrigation system installed at her Domboshava home by the same company.
This week Theresa Makone confirmed that Pedstock had installed irrigation systems at her Domboshava home, at Tsvangirai’s Buhera home and at Khuphe’s home.
Makone tried to mask this affiliation by saying they were unaware of the links between the company and Nikuv, although all invoicing for the company is done by Nikuv.
Tsvangirai’s spokesperson, Luke Tamborinyoka, also confirmed that an irrigation system was installed at Tsvangirai’s rural home. He refused to comment on why Tsvangirai had purchased equipment from a company the MDC-T has been accussing for a long time of working with Zanu-PF.
he said the company had installed the equipment when he was in hospital and when Tsvangirai held a ‘field day’ in November last year during which the equipment was showcased.
Tamborinyoka said he would get back to the M&G with more information but he had not done so by the time of going to print.
It could not be established who paid for Tsvangirai’s irrigation system although Makone insisted all the officials had paid for their own. The irrigation system by Nikuv costs upwards of US$150,000.00
Said Makone: “If we had known that Nikuv is involved in stealing the elections from us, we would not have dealt with them.”
After the installation of the equipment, Tsvangirai invited MDC-T ministers and his neighbours to see the project, which he said was a model for how to alleviate hunger.
The Makones also held a field day on July 10 to show off their equipment and farming project.
Makone’s denial is in contrast with facts at hand.
Last year, she was hosted by Nikuv and Pedstock on official ministerial business as co-Home Affairs Minister
The purpose of the trip was to see the type of security systems that the company offers. On that trip, she met Nikuv and Pedstock officials.
She met Emmanuel Antebi, the founder of Nikuv, who made her aware of the link between Pedstock and Nikuv.
Makone also denied paying $150,000 quoted by Nikov, saying the amount she paid was ‘only’ $20000 for the equipment.
Makone said there was nothing sinister about the fact that she gave business to Pedstock because it had “appeared [to be] just like any other business”.
Labels: 2013 ELECTIONS (ZW), ISRAEL, MDC, MDC CORRUPTION, NIKUV INTERNATIONAL PROJECTS
posted by MrK @ 3:07 PM
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