Zanu PF has appealed for divine intervention to deal with the endemic corruption that has plagued the former ruling party as harmonised elections expected this year fast approach.

Addressing an Apostolic Christian Council of Zimbabwe Bishops Conference for peace and voter orientation at the party headquarters in Harare on Friday, the party’s national political commissar, Webster Shamu, said the indigenisation policy would not help the ordinary population because of greed within the former ruling party.

Shamu said there was need for Vapositori to pray for his party to exorcise the corruption demon so that they too  can benefit from the black empowerment policy that Zanu PF’s coalition partners have dismissed as a vehicle for personal enrichment.

“The reason why ordinary people are not benefiting from our indigenous policy is because of corruption among us. There is rampant corruption within our leadership and had it not been for the greed, we could easily give each one of you $1million considering the profits realised by companies such as Zimplats.

“We can only be able to do that (giving $1million) if you pray for us, please pray for us. I was ashamed when I visited some of my colleagues in the party only to discover that they have enriched themselves to the extent that they own several mansions many of which they never use until they die.

“One is bound to wonder if it is necessary at all. It’s all because of greed,” Shamu said.

Two top Zanu PF officials, Youth and Indegenisation minister Saviour Kasukuwere and Mines minister  Obert Mpofu, have been fingered by the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission in corrupt and irregular business practices regarding empowerment deals between Zimbabwe government and Impala Platinum (Implats). The allegations of corruption also extend to other foreign-owned mining companies operating in the country.

Implats, Aquarius Platinum and Anglo American Platinum (Amplats) – which mine platinum in Zimbabwe – have concluded “non-binding” agreements to transfer 51% of their local shares to black Zimbabwean groups. However, the anti-graft body’s bid to have the two investigated has been halted as political pressure swirled.

This has affected the mining sector in Zimbabwe, a major contributor to the country’s economic turn-around efforts, following years of decline caused by President Robert Mugabe’s Zanu PF misrule.

Mugabe, who is pushing through the empowerment drive to win votes in the forthcoming elections, has pointed out that errors were made when the deals were signed. 

Kasukuwere on his part has said he will make corrections to the mistakes pointed out by Mugabe.