Martin Dinha

Posts Previously Held

• Mayor for Bindura

Death Threats and the Attack

In 2010, Dinha is said to have received death threats on two occasions and the first time he was forced to live at Holiday Inn after having learnt that there were people planning to make an attempt on his life. Dinha was reported to have received death threats in 2008 from Elliot Manyika after the latter had learnt that Dinha wanted to contest for the seat which at that time was held by Manyika.^[2] The death threats on Dinha were said to have been a manifestation of the factionalism in the party. In late september of 2013 Dinha survived death by a whisker after he was run over by a motorist driving a Toyota hilux. The driver had initially overtaken Dinha while too close to his vehicle before making an abrupt stop in front of Dinha forcing him to apply emergency brakes. After having caused commotion, Chijokwe who was driving the hilux drove off and went to Aerodrome Shopping Centre where Dinha caught up with him. When Dinha disembarked from his vehicle, Chijokwe who was still in his vehicle drove straight at Dinha forcing Dinha to dive in order to avoid the coming vehicle but Dinha was still caught by the vehicle and sustained injuries.^[3] Dinha was quoted in the media stating that

He was trying to cause an accident and we stopped him. As we approached him, he drove straight into me forcing me to roll over to the safe side. However, my leg was caught by his vehicle and doctors say it has a crack.^[4]

In July 2022, Dinha reportedly shot himself during a scuffle with apparent armed robbers in Greendale, Harare. Dinha had reportedly been driving his vehicle at around 10PM when 2 cars block him at an intersection. Robbers came out of the vehicles with a gun and machete. A scuffle ensued during which Dinha shot himself in the thigh. The robbers then fled.^[5]

Stance on Factionalism

The minister was quoted speaking against factionalims at the burial of the leader of an apostolic sect arguing that members of the sect should not be caught up in factionalism because it was not in the best interest of the party. The minister also pointed out that factionalism was the work of opportunists who were bent on destroying the party.^[6]

Scandal and Controversy

Love Affair

Martin Dinha was reported in 2013 to have sired a child with a Midlands State University student, it was also further alleged that the affair had been going on for a while and eventually culminated in the birth of the child. The mother of the child Shingirai Makarudze was reported to have claimed that when the affair started she had been misled by Dinha into believing that he was divorced which turned out not to be true.^[7] Martin Dinha was also accused of neglecting his son with Shingirai by not giving her money for the boy's upkeep. The woman also claimed that she has not known peace ever since she broke up with Dinha as Dinha was alleged to have been meddling in all her relationships and even went as far as threatening her with unspecified action.^[7] Shingirai was quoted saying

He is very possessive and jealous of me to the extent that he does not want to see me being involved in any relationship with anyone, although I am not dating him. He also threatens anyone who enters into a relationship with me. When I met him he said he was not married. Dinha said he was divorced and claimed his wife, Mai Michael was in the United States of America, and I got involved with him after he had promised to marry me. My parents want him to own up on his deeds and pay damages for impregnating me. In 2008, he had agreed to pay the damages and to date he has not done anything.^[7]

In his response to the allegations, Dinha was reported to have said

This is extortion my friend you must talk to your source, because she is extorting me^[7]

Purchase Of A House For 48 Cents

Martin Dinha was also reported to have purchased a house for 48 cents, a move which was described an an abuse of office. What was most shocking about the alleged purchase was the fact that it occurred at a time when the country was already using huge figures such as quadrillions and quintillions at the height of economic meltdown when 48 cents could not buy a sweet or a single toothpick.^[8] Key figures involved in the purchase included Ignatius Chombo who was said to have sanctioned the purchase. Contacted to respond to the alleged purchase of the house, Dinha pointed out that

I bought that house for that price because it was a negotiated price and it is not Dinha alone who benefited from the scheme. Every council employee then who was staying in a council house was given an opportunity to buy a house.

^[8]

Political War Against Fortune Chasi

Dinha was also accused of having engineered the downfall of fellow party member Fortune Chasi by making his life difficult as he could not move around freely in his constituency. Chasi was quoted as having claimed that

The source of all my problems is the dishonest leadership of Martin Dinha. I place the entire issue at his doorstep and I have told him that personally in so many ways. Dinha has been fighting me for many years in the province. First he chucked me out of my farm, Lazy 7, because he wanted to move in the first batch of villagers evicted from Manzou. He even asked me for assistance to transport the people and I gave my lorries. He then asked me to move to another farm in Mvurwi only for him to say later that the ‘top people’ had ordered that I could not settle there. I lost many cattle as a result of that.^[9]

Dinha however poured cold water over the allegations stating that he was not aware of such matters and that even though he had spoken to Chasi recently, the latter had not brought up such issues.

Extortion Charges

On 2 September 2015 Dinha appeared before a Bindura Magistrate facing criminal abuse of office or alternatively bribery charges. Dinha is alleged to have demanded $60 000 from Mr Guy Frank Dollar as protection fee against eviction from his Tzoro Farm in Centenary.^[10] Apart from the extortion charge, Dinha was also facing money laundering charges. It is alleged that on 17 April 2013 Dinha transferred $30 000 from his bank account to another account with the same bank. It is further alleged that he withdrew money from the account on several occasions and left only $1, 012, 12.^[11] Dinha was asked not to plead when he appeared before court. He was granted $1 000 bail and remanded to October 19, 2015 for trial at the High Court.^[12] He was also ordered to surrender his passport and to report every Friday at Bindura Criminal Investigation Department (CID) and not to interfere with State witnesses.^[10]

Farm Mechanisation Scheme

In July 2020, Martin Dinha was listed, in the BSR of 18 July 2020, as a beneficiary in the 2007 RBZ Farm Mechanisation Scheme, as a result of the Fast Track Land Reform Programme.

The data is analysed by recipients origin:.

• Mashonaland provinces had the most beneficiaries, both in terms of numbers and value.
  

Mashonaland East got US$47,5 million,
Mashonaland West US$44,7 million
Mashonaland Central had US$34,2 million.

• Two Matebeleland provinces had a combined total of US$13,9 million.
• Masvingo US$26,4 million,
• Manicaland US$18 million
• Midlands US$14 million.

Martin Dinha is listed under the thematic group “Politicians”. According to the list, got a loan of US$378,122.00. ^[13]

Shooting Incident

Martin Dinha shot himself in the thigh while fighting two armed robbers at an intersection in Greendale, Harare on the night of Tuesday 26 July 2022. Dinha was driving from Cresta Lodge, at around 10 PM, when he suspected that a car was following him. Upon reaching an intersection, another car was reported to have blocked his vehicle. One of the suspects produced an AK47 rifle and the other was armed with a machete. Dinha was reported to have fired a warning shot and the suspects’ AK47 jammed and the two advanced and attacked him. Dinha shot himself in the thigh, during the skirmish, and the suspects ran away.

^[14]

References