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Prof Moyo

Harare Bureau
The Zimbabwe National Students’ Union (Zinasu), has called for the immediate resignation of Higher and Tertiary Education Minister Professor Jonathan Moyo and his deputy Dr Godfrey Gandawa following allegations of corruption involving  $270 000 they reportedly siphoned from the  Zimbabwe Manpower Development Fund (Zimdef).

The fund was created to be benefit students at tertiary institutions across the country including when they are on industrial attachment.

In a statement yesterday night, Zinasu gave the Chancellor of all universities in Zimbabwe, President Mugabe, a week-long ultimatum to deal with the two “corrupt” ministers.

“We are also appealing to our Chancellor President Robert Gabriel Mugabe to stop protecting criminals, but to let justice take its course,” said Zinasu secretary-general Makomborero Haruzivishe.

“Failure to do so will result in days of determined campus shutdowns till corruption in the education sector is wiped and free education delivered to the Zimbabwean students as espoused in our Constitution and promised in the  Zim-Asset.

“It is a folly for Government ministers who masquerade as development oriented officials to loot what belongs to the students leaving them vulnerable.”

Haruzivishe said the student union had been consistently calling for transparency around the fund since students on attachment went for months without receiving their Zimdef allowances.

“The result is devastating, pauperisation of students, corrosive effects on students’ dignity and image, and an unprecedented rise in STIs in colleges as multitudes resort to transactional sex for survival,” he said.

At least 22 000 Higher and Tertiary Education students, said Haruzivishe, had either deferred studies or dropped out of school this semester due to exorbitant fees.

He said it was painful to note that Prof Moyo was reaping off the students while they were suffering.

The Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission report revealed allegations of fraud and criminal abuse of duty resulting in the embezzlement of hundreds of thousand of dollars received on the 25th of July 2016, through a whistleblower.

Allegations pointed to corrupt and fraudulent transactions involving the ministry, Zimdef and two companies namely Fuzzy Technologies (Pvt) Ltd and Wisebone Trading.

According to the ZACC summary, below are key points in which Prof Moyo was involved:

Allegation one: $95 800 siphoned out under pretext of purchase of 10×3 dimension printers.

Allegation two: $19 030 is deposited into Ace Cycles account to purchase 173 gents bicycles. $7 260 deposited to purchase additional 62 gents and 4 ladies’ bicycles, that were allegedly distributed to his Tsholotsho constituency.

Allegation three: $24 000 applied for by  Dr Gandawa as loan on behalf of Prof Moyo.