Following a stunning exposé of President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s key appointee in the Al Jazeera “Gold Mafia” documentary, a local think tank- the Zimbabwe Institute of Strategic Thinking (ZIST) has called for wider consultations in the appointment of officials in important areas of governance.
The Qatar-based broadcaster has so far released three of the four part series showing prominent individuals, including President Mnangagwa’s appointee Ambassador At Large, Uebert Angel allegedly offering to assist “wash” dirty money belonging to an undercover investigative journalist posing as an Asian businessman.
The development has however brought the appropriateness of Ambassador Angel into question especially when the President has been preaching zero tolerance to corruption.
“Wider consultation is necessary before key appointments to avoid persons of disrepute in key areas of governance. A vetting Committee with critical stakeholders in the nation can be set up to vet and recommend to the President the final appointment of individuals in public office positions,” said ZIST in a statement.
“We unequivocally condemn any form of corruption and illegal activities in the mining sector, which harm the country’s economy and tarnish its reputation as a reliable investment destination,”
“The revelations made in the ‘Gold Mafia’ documentary are deeply concerning, and we call upon the government to investigate these allegations diligently and bring the perpetrators to justice. We also urge the government to put measures in place to curb the smuggling of gold and other precious minerals, which not only deprives the country of much-needed revenue but also fuels criminal activities such as money laundering, human trafficking, and terrorism financing.”
The Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) in an interview with state media has however announced it has commenced investigations into the allegations raised in the documentary.
“The Zimbabwe Republic Police is conducting investigations and will give detailed information to the public and media once the initial inquiries are complete,” Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi said.
