Chronicle Editor
Sikhumbuzo Moyo, Senior Sports Reporter
ONE of the 32 Zifa councillors accused of receiving a bribe from Felton Kamambo during his campaign to be Zifa president has broken his silence and said the money he received was not hush money, but reimbursement for his expenses.
Hwange-based Zifa Southern Region board member Mehluli Thebe told Chronicle online that he received $300 through Ecocash from one Robert on behalf of Kamambo two weeks before the election in December 2018 for him to travel to Bulawayo to Kamambo’s campaign meeting.
“Never would I have used my own money to come to Bulawayo to listen to a candidate. I made that clear to him so he then sent someone, Robert to Ecocash me $300 for transport and accommodation at a Bulawayo hotel and I came, listened to what he had to offer for Zimbabwean football then the next day I went back to Hwange,” said Thebe.
“It’s nonsensical for anyone to then suggest that I was bribed. In any event, who knows who I voted for? If there are people who got money to influence their choice, I am not one of them. I know people I voted for and crucially I also know that Kamambo was not the only person who gave us money to come for his campaign; anyone who challenges that must come out in the open. I am not speaking on behalf of other accused persons, but for myself. I never received any bribe money from Kamambo, but I can only confirm receiving, $300 via Ecocash from a Robert which was for me to drive to Bulawayo and sleep over for obvious reasons that I would never have used my own money to drive to Bulawayo simply to listen to someone campaigning, no,” he said.
The police are compiling a dossier of Zifa councillors that were allegedly bribed by Kamambo.
Two of the accused that allegedly received over US$1 500 on the eve of the election, are from Bulawayo and Matabeleland North provinces.
Online Reporter