Zim GBC News | Political Reporter
HARARE – Controversial businessman Wicknell Chivayo has publicly declared that Bikita South legislator Energy Mutodi will be ousted in the 2028 elections, telling him to “enjoy his last supper” in Parliament.
The warning comes after Mutodi accused Permanent Secretary for Finance, George Guvamatanga, of corruption in Parliament, alleging the senior official was demanding kickbacks of between five and ten percent from contractors and threatening to withhold payments if they refused.
Following a fierce backlash from within his own ZANU PF party, Mutodi retracted his statements and issued an apology. However, he was subsequently demoted from his position as chairman of the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Budget and Finance.
The demotion has drawn criticism from legal and political circles. Prominent lawyer and opposition politician David Coltart described the move as an attack on parliamentary privilege.
“The removal of Energy Mutodi as Chairman of the Budget Committee is the perfect opportunity for opposition MPs to exercise Parliamentary Privilege,” Coltart stated on X.
“This is what parliamentary privilege is all about – it gives MPs a unique opportunity to speak on a public platform… on topics which other citizens cannot do without fear of defamation actions or worse.”
In a direct response, Chivayo dismissed Coltart’s concerns and turned his fire on Mutodi.
“Mutorei ku CCC kana ku Zanu hatichamudi (You can take him to the CCC because we don’t want him in ZANU PF anymore),” Chivayo posted on his X account.
“As an honourable member trusted with the position of chairman of a portfolio committee we don’t expect you [to] speculate or conjecture in Parliament. Kana seat rake next election we will make sure anodyiwa ku ma primary (In the next election, we will make sure he is defeated in the primaries).”
The public feud has fueled speculation on social media about the influence of business cartels in politics.
Critics have suggested that Chivayo’s fierce defence of Guvamatanga indicates they are part of the same network, with many users drawing parallels to the “Zvigananda” label used by Vice President Constantino Chiwenga to describe individuals who amass wealth through corrupt means.
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