Staff ReporterA secretly recorded conversation between Acie Lumumba (real name William Mutumanje) and Tinmac Transport owner Tino Macharika appears to confirm claims by The Daily News on Sunday that Lumumba was paid $40,000 by Zanu PF politicians linked to Finance Minister Mthuli Ncube.
Listen to audio below
Lumumba can be heard explaining to Macharika how he had desperately needed money for his father to undergo treatment in India.
“My greatest worrying with stopping or quitting or changing the narrative is will I be able to look after myself afterwards,” he can be heard saying.
“The only reason these people got me is they knew I was in a really tough corner. My father wasn’t feeling too well, my father needed an operation. I went to Chris and asked him how they could leave my father suffering like this when they worked together … Then they said no problem we will look after him but there is something we need you to do for me.”
The Chris referred to is likely to be Ambassador Christopher Mutsvangwa. An October ZimLive investigation into the controversial appointment of Lumumba as Finance Ministry taskforce chairman identified Mutsvangwa as one key figures behind the creation of the taskforce.
Asked how much he was paid, Lumumba says he is ashamed to say.
“You will even be embarrassed, $40,000. It was desperation. I had just lost my mother so psychologically the thought of losing a father right after losing a mother is traumatizing. So I panicked and I went to the only place where I thought I could get help.”
