Industry and Commerce minister Sekai Nzenza demanded US$8 000 from NSSA and blew it on trips to New York and Morroco. Nzenza took the ...
Industry and Commerce minister Sekai Nzenza demanded US$8
000 from NSSA and blew it on trips to New York and Morroco.
Nzenza took the money when she was Labour minister before
she was shunted to the Industry minister by President Emmerson Mnangagwa a
fortnight ago.
The Standard reports that Nzenza was given US$13 715. 83
between November last year and April 2019 for her government foreign trips from
NSSA coffers.
The Labour ministry has only paid back US$5 715.83 and
advised NSSA that the minister should pay back the remaining US$8 000 because
it was not used for government business.
Nzenza was given US$$6 500 for her trip to New York and the
money was signed for by Victoria K Sigauke, her personal assistant on February
7 this year.
Another US$1 500 was paid on November 14, according to a
letter to Nzenza by Emerson Mungwariri, the NSSA finance director. The money
was for a trip to Morocco.
NSSA, in July this year wrote to the Labour ministry’s
permanent secretary Simon Masanga demanding that the money must be paid back.
“We write to remind you of the attached amount of US$13
715.83 due to NSSA, which was advanced between December 2018 and April 2019 of
which the ministry committed to settle on receipt of the funds from the Treasury.
Your assistance will be appreciated in having these advances cleared,” read
part of the letter by Mungwariri to Masanga dated July 19.
NSSA officials are now accusing Nzenza of converting the
US$8 000 into her own personal use as the ministry only paid back US$5 715.
They said the minister was now hoping to pay back the money
if she secures another international trip.
Nzenza yesterday insisted that she got the money through a
transparent process and that it would be paid back by the Labour ministry.
She accused unnamed NSSA officials of trying to tarnish her
image by leaking the information.
“I made two business trips to Morocco and New York in
November last year and February this year,” Nzenza said. “On both trips, I
chose to lessen costs and took no security and not enough hotel or car
allowance.
“During the two trips there was no board at NSSA. The money
was sent to me upon request during a crisis in Morocco and New York.
On the way from Morocco, my assistant and I spent the night
on a bench at Heathrow Airport (in London) due to airline problems.
“NSSA came to the rescue and sent money so we could get
home safe.”
“Given that my assistant and I were stranded on an airport
bench for more than a day and risking another day, should NSSA not have
assisted?
“These are smearing and slandering tactics I have already
experienced since July when I was accused of having been given US$2 million and
was on the run.”
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