Mugabe’s favoured minister could face 50 years jail for stock-theft

By Lance Guma
13 March 2006

A cabinet minister considered by many to be one of Robert Mugabe’s favourites could be facing as many as 50 years in jail for stealing cattle if the normally selective arm of the law catches up with her. Mugabe went to extraordinary lengths to secure Sithembiso Nyoni’s ministerial status after her loss in parliamentary elections made her ineligible for cabinet under the country’s constitution. The small to medium scale enterprises minister survived after Mugabe appointed her to the newly created senate. Nyoni not only has a threat to that position but her freedom is also on the line after 14 stolen cattle where found on her farm last week Wednesday in the Shangani area of Matabeleland South.

To make matters worse all the beasts had new branding tags with Nyoni’s trademark on them. Nyoni blames her political opponents for setting her up but observers say this only demonstrates her desperation at getting caught. Nyoni is said to have told journalists from the state media, ‘There are people who want to tarnish my name; you can assist me by ignoring the matter. I will thank you very much.’ Although three of her farm workers are the ones implicated in the actual theft she is the main beneficiary. George Nyathi in Bulawayo reports that the police are clearly in a ‘no-nonsense’ mood and are said to be investigating the theft.

According to the state owned Sunday News the cattle, which belong to Nyoni’s neighbour, a white commercial farmer Robert Bruce Moffat, are being held at a secret location for use as exhibits for any future trial. Moffat has so far lost over 50 cattle to rustlers. Inspector Johnson Nyoni, police spokesman for Matabeleland South province, told the Sunday News three of the minister’s workers at Fountain Farm were arrested on allegations of stock-theft and will appear in court this week.

Under old colonial laws inherited from the Rhodesian government the country has stiff jail sentences for cattle rustling. Several ordinary Zimbabweans have been slapped with jail sentences ranging from 30 to 60 years in prison. It remains to be seen if Nyoni will face the same type of justice. Given the political favours Mugabe has granted her however, few expect the matter to go anywhere further than a ‘closed door’ rebuke.