Former Energy and Power Development Minister Fortune Chasi was reportedly sacked for his efforts to level the playing field in the fuel sector, something which did not go down well with powerful fuel cartels that have captured the State.
Among other things, Chasi wanted to reduce Sakunda Holdings and Green Fuel’s overbearing influence in the fuel industry since he was appointed Minister in May 2019.
Green Fuel, the sole ethanol blending firm in Zimbabwe, is owned by business mogul Billy Rautenbach, while Sakunda is owned by Kuda Tagwirei, President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s advisor.
Both Rautenbach and Tagwirei reportedly have significant influence over the ruling ZANU PF’s top brass as they fund the party’s activities.
A Ministry of Energy official who spoke to The Zimbabwe Independent this week said Chasi was fired partly because he wanted to break Sakunda’s monopolistic hold of the NOIC fuel pipeline. The official said;
You must understand that at Noic, Chasi was trying to even out the playing field in the fuel sector by ensuring that Sakunda Holdings will not continue to enjoy the monopolistic utilisation of the pipeline while also trying to fully assert Noic’s control over the pipeline. Sadly, this unsettled the interests of powerful fuel cartels.
His plans to revive efforts to build a second fuel pipeline were also met with fierce resistance by the same powerful forces.
I sat next to Nelson Chamisa in Cabinet, he drank Fanta while we guggled tea for the 5 years and explained to me his poison fears. However, his reference to Mugabe may mean the System and its targets, look where I am, happy he pronounced himself on this!
Casper Tsvangirayi, Dr Patson Dzamara phoned me apprehensive about these cancers which only attack you after incarceration, I have warned Job Sikhala of the same, no food, water etc from prison and asked him to warn his colleagues inside.
This issue of biological agents and other suspicions may sound like a myth but it’s real, in the last two years of my Cabinet sitting I had stopped teas as well, it may have been too late, the Silver Jug of ice-cold water for each member was suspect too!
One sitting I exclaimed in horror when I opened my Silver Jug and found a thick bed of dead black cockroaches at the base, fumed at Mapingire and staff how this could be, but it was my first hint Chamisa could have been right.
Take stock since 1980 causes of death of Cabinet Members, gastrointestinal disorders and accidents, Zanu PF is cannibalistic, before we even go to Opposition, isinjonjo as they say it amongst themselves, a game of elimination!
Meanwhile, President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s spokesperson, George Charamba, has laughed off Sikhala and Chamisa, saying they are in a competition for victimhood. He said:
There is an uncanny competition for victimhood between one Jobho-drops-from-ceiling-Sarowiwa, and one partyless-Nelson-Wamba-Chamisa, for victimhood.
The one purports to write – in bad English – from Chikurubi, hoping for incarceration fame; the other claims he never tested any tea during the MUGABE days!
Both hope the internally competing acts within their sharded MDC brings fame and recognition!
Meanwhile, the rest of Zimbabweans know them for what they truly are: little men pimping and trawling for undeserved fame!
