Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) Governor John Mushayavanhu once served in ZANU PF structures as Masvingo provincial party treasurer, former Tourism Minister Walter Mzembi has said.
Posting on X last week, (April 4), Mzembi said Mushayavanhu briefly held the portfolio of provincial treasurer for ZANU PF in Masvingo. He wrote:
The most encouraging attribute out of the recent appointment of the new Reserve Bank Governor Dr John Mushayavanhu is his quiet and calculating disposition. He is a reserved character and second-guessed most of the time.
In his brief stint as Treasurer for ZANU PF Masvingo Province he never uttered a word, after three meetings he concluded he had made the wrong decision to accept the co-option and quit quietly to pursue his banking career.
I would like to give him a chance starting tomorrow and I am sure he won’t rush to say if I don’t get it right in six months, fire me like both his predecessor & current Minister of Finance and then stay for years after failing. Kugona basa kuriita (success comes from hard work).
According to The NewsHawks, Mushayavanhu is a close associate of President Emmerson Mnangagwa, and also a relative.
The two reportedly worked closely together when Mnangagwa was in charge of the ruling party business empire and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) investment adventures during the Congo War from 1998 to 2002.
According to the report, before his recent appointment as RBZ Governor, Mnangagwa’s political allies wanted Mushayavanhu to replace Mangudya in 2019 when his first term ended.
Mnangagwa, however, allowed Mangudya to finish his term.
Mushayavanhu and Mnangagwa reportedly worked together behind the scenes on private sector deals, ZANU PF business networks, including the formation of FBC which was initiated by the ruling party, and also in DRC through the bank on which they were both directors for the Great Lakes country’s operation.
The NewsHawks cited a source as saying Mushayavanhu is part of Mnangagwa’s business team. Said the source:
Their business network is big and wide and includes the Joshi family (Manharlal Chiunilal and Jayant Chiunilal Joshi) that Mnangagwa worked with at Zanu PF when he was still party treasurer and secretary for administration. Mushayavanhu worked with the Joshi family at the bank and on the Zuva Petroleum deal when it acquired assets worth over US$29 million from Masawara plc. Masawara had bought the assets from BP & Shell in Zimbabwe.
Mnangagwa is accused of appointing his Karanga clansmen from the Midlands and Masvingo provinces to the Cabinet and civil service as well as to strategic positions.
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