Zimbabwe Energy Minister Elton Mangoma arrested
By Nangayi Guyson – HARARE -Police in Zimbabwe on Thursday arrested Energy Minister Elton Mangoma for questioning on undisclosed charges, Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai said.
“I have just been informed the minister of energy has been arrested,”Tsvangirai told a meeting of local business leaders. “I, as prime minister, didn’t even know about it.”
Police declined to confirm if they had detained Mangoma, who belongs to Tsvangirai’s Movement for Democratic Change (MDC).
Party spokesperson Nelson Chamisa said Mangoma was picked up at his offices by three detectives from the serious fraud squad.
“We do not know why he has been arrested,” Chamisa told AFP. The Movement for Democratic Changes says Mangoma was escorted from his offices Thursday by three plain clothes police officers.
In January, lawmakers accused Mangoma of bypassing tender procedures to buy gasoline from a little-known South African firm and alleged all the gas was not delivered. Mangoma denies any wrongdoing.
The late Sam’s stepsister who was seated alone at the Book Cafe entrance refused to talk to journalists. She commented, “Manga muchida kuti chii? Haa? I have got no comment !”
Efforts of getting a comment from staff at Book Cafe as to whether the name change would affect the joint’s programming as the band has regular shows there, were fruitless.
Mandla Ncube of the Book Cafe could only say, “I reserve my comments because I respect the dead (Tuku).”
