Munyaradzi Kereke

Background

He is married. His wife and daughter (Tashinga who was four years old then)were reported to have left for South Africa in 2012 after a domestic dispute with him.^[1] Investigations conducted by senior police officers highlighted that Kerekere's wife voluntarily left his husband after the two were having serious domestic issues. Kereke's gardener argued that he saw his boss's wife boarding a taxi.^[2] He claimed that he followed the taxi which dropped Joseline and Tashinga at Harare International Airport. Investigations undertaken by the police force also showed that indeed Kereke's wife caught a flight which was heading to South Africa.^[3]

Kereke however dispelled this arguing that his wife and child's disappearance was orchestrated by his former boss Gono after the two were no longer in good books. Kereke also had two journalists from Daily News arrested on the grounds that they had reported that his wife was not abducted as he was claiming it was jeopardising efforts to find his wife.^[3]

Kereke is also alleged to have fathered a child out of wedlock with a woman named Leocardia Gonah of Bulawayo.^[4] Gonah dragged Kereke to court in May 2014 where Gonah was demanding more than US$2 500 for the upkeep of her child which she sired with Kereke.^[5] Kereke opted to have the matter solved out of the courts as a way of trying to save his reputation which had already deteriorated.

Educational Background

Kereke studied economics with the Atlantic International University in 2006. He studied Macroeconomic Policy and Management and his case study focused on Zimbabwe. Kereke also attended University of Zimbabwe and Wits University for his post graduate studies.

Service/Career

Political career

Kereke entered mainstream politics when he was elected Bikita West Member of Parliament (MP) in Masvingo the controversial 2007 elections. ^[6]

In the 2013 Elections, (see A History of Zimbabwean Elections) Bikita West returned to Parliament:

• Munyaradzi Kereke of Zanu PF with 7 270 votes or 41.31 percent,
• Elia Musakwa of Zanu PF with 6 052 votes or 34.39 percent,
• Heya Shoko of MDC–T with 3 863 votes or 21.95 percent,
• Benjamin Katema of MDC–N with 415 votes or 2.36 percent.

Total 17 600 votes

Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe

Kereke left the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe in 2012, after an eight-year stint during which he served in various positions. At the time of his departure Kereke served as the Advisor to former governor Gideon Gono. ^[7] He received $1,3 million in terminal benefits, but claims he got a total of $950 000 after deductions by the RBZ. ^[8]

Events

Expulsion from ZANU PF

He was in July 2013 expelled from Zanu PF for insubordination after he insisted in running for Parliament despite being barred by the party. He wanted to contest as Bikita West member of parliament but his party refused to allow him to contest in the primary elections saying he was still to clear several outstanding issues. ^[9] Kereke then went ahead to contest in the 31 July elections defying Zanu PF's directive. Kereke was the declared Bikita west MP after polling 7 270 votes against Movement for Democratic Change's Heya Shoka who polled 3 863 votes leading to his expulsion. ^[10] Kereke went on to file an urgent chamber application with the Constitutional Court challenging his expulsion and won the case. He then remained an MP but his expulsion from Zanu PF continued.

Re-admission into ZANU PF

In December 2014, Zanu PF re-admitted Kereke into the party structures. ^[11] Kereke refused to pave way for the preferred candidate Elias Musakwa. Zanu PF went on to field two candidates. Kereke won the election after defeating Musakwa and Heya Shoko of the Movement for Democratic Change. ^[11] The Masvingo provincial council recommended the re-admission of Kereke after the controversial 6th Zanu-PF National People’s Congress held in Harare in December 2014. Zanu PF acting Masvingo provincial chairman Paradzai Chakona confirmed the re-admission of Kereke into the party. ^[11]

Due to the fact that Kereke was re-admitted into Zanu PF, as according to the constitution of the country, in accordance with Section 1 (1) which states that ...the seat of a MP becomes vacant if the member, not having been a member of a political party when he or she was elected to parliament, becomes a member of a political party, his seat becomes vacant. ^[12] By implication, Kereke's seat had fallen vacant when he was admitted into Zanu PF. Notwithstanding this, on 13 January 2014, it was reported that by elections were to held on 27 March 2014 to fill in the vacant seats left by the ousted Joice Mujuru who was replaced by Emmerson Mnangagwa, implying that Kereke is still being recognised as the MP for Bikita West. ^[13]

Firearm incident in Masvingo

It was allegedly reported that Kereke, on 8 July 2007, fired gun shots in a certain hotel in Masvingo. ^[14] It was claimed that property was destroyed in the process. Investigations conducted by the police showed that Kereke was trying to threaten his girlfriend, Joseline Mukarati (who disappeared on 13 September 2012) and that he was excessively drunk. ^[14] Narrating his own side of the story, Kereke argued that the police fired the shots as they wanted to kill him. ^[14]

Rape Case, Conviction and Sentencing

He allegedly raped a girl, aged 11, at gun point in August 2010. The girl was alleged to have been his third's wife niece. Police records and all medical reports confirmed the crime. ^[15]
The Zimbabwe Republic Police, which had come under fire for failure to investigate the case, blamed the Attorney General's office for the delay in prosecution. The police Commissioner Augustine Chihuri said that the attorney general’s office refused to prosecute after he had submitted a complete docket to the AG's office. ^[16] The AG at the time was Johannes Tomana. According to the law, where the National Prosecuting Authority declines to prosecute, it is required to issue a certificate stating their unwillingness to prosecute. This certificate provides the legal basis for the aggrieved party to pursue a private prosecution. The NPA however did not issue the certificate. ^[17]

The family of the minor then took the matter to the High Court, where the judge ordered Tomana to issue the certificate. However, Tomana disregarded the order and instead, launched a constitutional application to the Constitutional Court, where he sought to have the law compelling him to issue a certificate to open the way for private prosecutions declared unconstitutional. He argued that it interfered with his discretion. The Constitutional Court dismissed his case and instead, found him to be in contempt of court for refusing to issue the certificate as previously directed. The Court slapped him with a 30-day jail term but it was suspended for 10 days during which he was supposed to comply or face jail. Tomana complied and that opened the path for the rape survivor’s family to commence private prosecution proceedings. ^[17]

After pursuing private prosecution, on 11 July 2016, Kereke was convicted of raping a minor at gunpoint and acquitted of the indecent assault charge. Kereke was sentenced to 14 years behind bars, but he would serve an effective 10 after four were suspended on good behaviour. ^[18]

After Kereke's conviction, the key question of why Tomana refused to prosecute a case which a private prosecutor has successfully prosecuted was raised. Suggestions were also made that the NPA had refused to prosecute Kereke adds political protection and that the protection was only removed by the factional fights in Zanu PF. Both Kereke and Tomana, it was reported, were in the Mnangagwa faction and the bruising fight of the faction against Grace Mugabe's alleged G40 faction is what exposed Kereke and Tomana to the rule of law. ^[17]

Appeal

On 4 August 2021, the Supreme Court granted Munyaradzi Kereke $500 000 bail pending appeal against both conviction and 14-year jail term for raping his then 11-year-old relative at gunpoint.

Expulsion From Parliament

Deputy Speaker of the House of Assembly Mabel Chinomona told parliamentarians on Wednesday 20 July 2016 that Kereke had been automatically expelled from parliament following his conviction. Chimonoma cited Section 129 of the Constitution which reads:

The seat of a Member of Parliament becomes vacant if the Member is convicted (i) in Zimbabwe of an offence of which breach of trust, dishonest or physical violence is an essential element, (ii) or outside Zimbabwe of conduct which, if committed in Zimbabwe, would be an offence of which breach of trust, dishonest or physical violence is an essential element and sentenced to imprisonment for six months or more without the option of a fine or without the option of any other custodial punishment, unless on appeal, the Member’s conviction is set aside or the sentence of imprisonment is reduced to less than six months or a punishment other than imprisonment is substituted.

^[19] She then went on to note that President Mugabe and the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission would be notified of Kereke's expulsion to pave way for by-elections.

Maintenance Saga

The court ruled that Kereke was supposed to pay a monthly USD$2 000 to a woman he sired a child with in 2011. The woman identified as a student from Great Zimbabwe University is said to be taking care of the minor. She approached the courts to seek maintenance but the case was delayed for some reasons. As part of the agreement Kereke also undertook to provide a Toyota Rav 4 vehicle to Maudy Machangwa, a Marketing student at Great Zimbabwe University. He also signed an agreement to pay school fees and other expenses for the minor. This was after the former advisor to the Governor was dragged to court to 2014 after the woman raised concerns about the former's reluctance to take care of the minor.

Clash with Gono and Lawsuit

After he was sacked by Gono on 1 February 2012, Kereke made various allegations against Gono. He alleged that the former Central Bank governor stole millions of dollars and gold from the bank. He also alleged that Gono stole public funds including US $6,5 million which he allegedly used to buy real estate. Worse still he claimed Gono abused his authority by forcing him to write his assignments for his PhD studies. ^[20] Kereke also filed a Constitutional Court application, seeking to push the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (Zacc) to investigate Gono on graft charges, allegedly committed during the time he was at the helm of the central bank. ^[21] Gono responded by filing a filed a $10 million defamation lawsuit against Kereke on August 17, 2013.^[22]

Morgan Tsvangirai and Tendai Biti were also sucked into this Kereke-Gono war. Kereke argued that Gono was trying, by all means, to shield Tsvangirayi and Biti by producing fake documents showing that the two were not corrupt. ^[23] He also stated that Gono was reluctant to co-operate with the police when he called in the police to investigate on the activities of the two.^[23]

Arrest For Fraud (2023)

On 09 November 2023, Kereke appeared at the Harare Magistrates Court charged with defrauding Harare Municipal Medical Aid Society (HMMAS) of US$400 000.^[24]

Kereke and his co-accused, the suspended HMMAS chief executive Everesto Rukasha appeared before Harare magistrate Marehwanazvo Gofa charged with fraud and were remanded in custody.

HMMAS was established through the City of Harare Workers’ Union to offer medical aid services to its employees.

In 2014, Kereke agreed to sell his Briward Fortress Hospital located in Ruwa, Chipukutu Sebastopol, to HMMAS.

Kareke appointed Newton Madzika, the managing director of Health Body Images [Pvt) Ltd, to conduct the transaction on his behalf.

On 07 November 2014, Rukasha representing HMMAS entered into an agreement of sale with Briward Private [Ltd] represented by Newton Madzika for the purchase of Fortress Hospital for US$800 000.

The full purchase price of US$800 000 was to be paid into the account of Health Body Images held with Kingdom Bank Limited.

On 14 November 2014, Madzika allegedly transferred US$800 000 into the trust account of Kereke’s lawyers, Mambosasa Legal Practitioners.

On 18 March 2022, Rukasha allegedly connived with Kereke to defraud HMMAS by writing a letter to HMMAS claiming that they still owed Kereke US$400 000 from the purchase of Fortress Hospital and demanding the payment.

On 21 March 2022, Rukasha allegedly entered into a fraudulent acknowledgement of debt acknowledging that HMMAS was owing Kereke US$400 000.

Rukasha verbally instructed Sibusisiwe Mleya, the finance and administration manager of HMMAS to pay the money to Kereke.

On 12 July 2022, the Board realised that HMMAS had no legacy debt and stopped making payments. But that was after US$120 000 and another US$17 000 had already been paid to Kereke.

In total, Kereke received US$137 000 from HMMAS towards the liquidation of the fraudulent debt claim of US$400 000.

Businesses Interests

Kereke is the founder of the Rock Foundation Medical Centre. In 2014, the hospital was sued by the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (ZIMRA) for failing to pay a three-year tax liability of $3.2 million. ^[25] At one time he scooped the TSL 2011-tobacco grower of the year award.^[7]

References