OUTSPOKEN politician Temba Mliswa has denied allegations of luring Walter Mzembi back to Zimbabwe for incarceration, claiming the former cabinet minister was living in fear after a fallout with exiled ex-ZANU PF commissar Saviour Kasukuwere.
Mzembi returned to Zimbabwe after seven years of exile and has been in pretrial detention for violating his 2018 bail conditions.
At the centre of his return and subsequent arrest was allegedly Mliswa, an accusation which he denies.
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"The Mzembi issue is an unfortunate exhibition of callous politicians conveniently altering facts and pseudo-journalists crafting an alternative reality for excitable masses to imbibe on. It's a total shame to accuse me or anyone of enticing him back. This was his own idea," said Mliswa in a social media post.
Mliswa said the return of Mzembi was of his own volition due to "fear" of Kasukuwere after a fallout.
"The facts are verifiable. There was never any CIO operation because Mzembi approached me as he wanted to return. One major reason is that he had split with Kasukuwere. For more than a year and half they have never spoke. He felt unsafe which is why he moved from SA to Zambia!
"All this talk about me selling him out is noonday hogwash. I'm no spy and never worked for CIO. Characters like Ali Naka, are merely (social media) guns for hire operating as Sekuru Tyson's instruments. Ali is working for his food and will peddle any nonsense he is fed.
"Instead, they should admit how Mzembi was pushed back here due to fear of Kasukuwere as he no longer felt safe. He crafted his own idea, approached me to facilitate engagements with the relevant powers. Which I did. What part of those actions constitutes enticing him back?" said Mliswa.
The alleged fallout between Kasukuwere and Mzembi comes as a surprise, as the two had been as thick as thieves and worked together during the 2023 election season.
Now languishing in prison, Mzembi is reportedly ill as he awaits the commencement of his trial.
"I have always advocated for the return of everyone in exile. For both times involving Mzembi and Kasukuwere in 2018 when approached I simply spoke with the powers that be and facilitated engagements between the parties. Whatever else they agreed or didn't, I was never part of!
"Accusations of betrayal are outright fabrications by individuals like Ali Naka who are mere marionettes in this charade. Mzembi is not a victim of anything I did but of that which compelled him to flee from SA. Whatever agreements they spoke about back here I was never part of," added Mliswa.
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