Zanu-PF has fired four party members for allegedly name dropping during the ongoing gold smuggling saga involving Henrietta Rushwaya and members of the intelligence corps and police force.
The quartet is part of the people accused of soiling the First Family’s name after First Lady Auxillia Mnangagwa and her Son, Collins were implicated in the case.
However, the ruling party said it is not taking any prisoners and came hard on those alleged to be in the habit of tarnish the names of the First Family.
Addressing a press conference Wednesday, Zanu-PF acting spokesperson Patrick Chinamasa said they will not hesitate to weed out people who abuse the names of the First Family.
“We have noted with concern that these name-droppers are abusing the names of senior leaders in the party, Government and the First Family. They allege that they are relatives of senior leaders and go about conning people in the name of our leadership.
“That should stop forthwith. Here at the party, we have fired some of these name-droppers, conmen and con-women who abuse the name of the party and leadership. We challenge all media players to expose these fraudsters and extortionists whenever you come across them. In the next press conference after full investigations, we will name and shame them,” he said.
He could not be drawn into naming the four.
After being dragged in the gold saga, First Lady issued a statement calling in the police to drop her name or prove the alleged claims that the six kilograms of gold was hers.
This came after one of the man involved in the case, a police officer, told arresting officers that Auxillia and Collins were the owners of the gold.
This drew widespread attention with some alleging that she should have been brought in for question before the police declared that they had cleared her name.
President Emmerson Mnangagwa had to also issue a stern warning to corrupt individuals.
During court hearings yesterday, the investigating officer in the case dismissed the alleged bid by one of the accused to cover up the matter by dropping the names of the First Family as simply a lie and a “dirty tactic” to try and get Rushwaya released.
