Zimbabwe Democratic and Economic Freedom Party (ZDEFP) has denied allegations by Kukurigo news that their member Robert Kahanana is on the ZACC radar for corruption, dismissing it as just a smear campaign to jeopardize the party’s political prospects ahead of 2023 elections.
Kukurigo news reported that Kahanana is under the radar of ZACC for land corruption and also a polygamist.
ZDEFP spokesperson told this publication that some so called political parties have been shaken by the new political outfit, and are now trying to stall its impetus by all means.
“The land issue is a whole story for another day. The people of Zimbabwe need solutions to their problems not people’s private lives. If its about polygamous leaders lets investigate all ruling party leadership and see how many of them have one wife” he said
“These are shallow allegations, why bring in the issue of polygamy and corruption allegations now? It’s crystal clear that some people are being threatened by our existence and they know very well that we have become the only alternative in terms of a political ideology that have the Zimbabwean people at heart” he said.
ZDEFP also indicated that Kahanana is being targeted because he fell out with Zanu PF in 2016 after he refused to deny the authenticity of a leaked audio clip exposing how the then national commissar, Savior Kasukuwere rigged the Norton primary elections.
Speaking on polygamy allegations, the party spokesperson said as a democratic party they are not worried by one’s religious beliefs with which some requires one to marry more wives.
“We are a democratic party that is rooted on democratic principles, religious tolerance is one of them. If one’s religion requires him to marry more wives we let it be”.
He also added that some political parties are shooting themselves on the foot if polygamy and extra-marital affairs are concerned.
“Some politicians badmouthing our members should look inside themselves before going out and uttering undeterred statements about polygamy. If we are to do background check on most of some top politicians we would discover they have so many dirty in their closets”
“We will not be going for the dirty politics of tarnishing anyone’s image but that does not mean that we don’t have the dirtiest secrets of a lot of these politicians. We just want a clean political campaign and giving everyone total respect” ZDEFP spokes person added
In 2018, a publication based in the United Kingdom revealed a mystery around Zimbabwe President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s offspring by claiming the 77-year-old former Zanla combatant has a total of 18 children.
Jonathan Moyo, an ally of the former vice president who later turned into his fiercest critic, also claimed at some point that Mnangagwa had at least 41 children.
“Well in the spirit of the so-called new dispensation allegedly based on truths and transparency, the public awaits confirmation of whispers that Emmerson has at least 41 children,” Moyo wrote on his Twitter account while in exile.
Revelations by the Sunday Times put Mnangagwa in the same league with both serving and former heads of state known to have large families.
Closer home, former South African president Jacob Zuma has over 22 children. Zuma became the first polygamist leader South Africa has ever had, having married six times. Hate him or like him, Zuma does not make any apologies for it.
In one of his television interviews, Zuma said: “There are plenty of politicians who have mistresses and children that they hide so as to pretend they are monogamous. I prefer to be open. I love my wives and I am proud of my children.
