Zim minister says politicians looting diamonds to fund extravagant lifestyles

A Zimbabwean minister has blasted a “small coterie” of top politicians looting diamonds from Marange to finance their extravagant lifestyles.
The Zimbabwe Standard Newspaper quoted Finance minister Tendai Biti as saying during a diamond workshop held in Harare late last week that the unnamed individuals were not afraid to flaunt their new-found wealth even though they were surrounded by poverty.
“There is no doubt that a small coterie of individuals is benefiting from Zimbabwe diamonds. Some of us [officials] who are benefiting are not afraid to flaunt our monies. We are buying all kinds of assets,” Biti said.
Human rights groups had previously accused senior Zanu-PF officials of benefiting illegally from the Marange fields.
A report released by the Global Witness early this year claimed that Marange diamonds were being mined by companies whose senior directors were drawn from security personnel loyal to President Robert Mugabe.
Biti recently revealed that Anjin, a joint venture between the military and a Chinese company, had failed to remit any funds to the Treasury despite being the largest miner operating in the diamond rich fields.
He also said that the Treasury had received $35,1 million in the first quarter of the year from diamond mining against the target of $169 million.
Biti accused Mugabe of allowing his supporters in Zanu-PF to steal diamonds in return for their continued political support.
However, Zanu PF spokesman Rugare Gumbo dismissed the allegations, saying Biti must bring forward evidence rather than speculation.
“If he has evidence, I challenge him to name the Zanu PF officials benefiting from Marange diamonds,” he said.

Mathew Nyaungwa, Editor in Chief of the African Bureau, Rough&Polished