The Zimbabwe Red Cross Society (ZRCS) is victimising its members who sought redress in court over last year’s electoral processes that ushered in a new board amid allegations of massive rigging
A new ZRCS board led by David Chaliyanika was elected in December last year during the organisation's general assembly held in Kariba.
Other members of the new board include Emmaculate Chuma (vice-president), Bennard Sharara (vice-president) and Paradzayi Dakwa (honourary treasurer).
Chaliyanika took over from Edson Mlambo, who had served two terms.
Investigations carried by Truth Diggers established that in January ZRCS secretary-general Elias Hwenga instructed provincial managers and chairpersons in Matabeleland South, Midlands and Mashonaland Central provinces to institute investigations of misconduct targetting members who took the organisation to court on allegations of rigging last year’s elections.
Truth Diggers is the investigative journalism unit under Alpha Media Holdings (AMH), publishers of the NewsDay, The Zimbabwe Independent, The Standard and Southern Eye.
“I write to advise you that the following members took the Zimbabwe Red Cross Society to court on December 16, 2024,” wrote Hwenga in a letter dated January 29, 2024, addressed to ZRCS provincial managers.
“Together with other members, they filed an urgent chamber application in which they sought to stop the 2024 general assembly that was to be held in Kariba on December 21, 2024.
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“While every person has the right to approach the court, the named individual violated the code of conduct by failing to exhaust internal remedies provided in the volunteer code of conduct.”
Hwenga said by doing so, the members violated the provisions of the volunteer’s code of conduct Group C Gross Offences Paragraph 10.3.5.
However, the court ruled that the case was not urgent and advised ZRCS members to seek redress through a normal court application, which they are currently doing.
Insiders told Truth Diggers that the investigations and hearings started with the setting up of investigation committees.
“Most members of the branch, district and provincial boards from whom the investigations committees were handpicked do not qualify for the positions they hold because they do not meet the minimum requirements of the ZRCS constitution,” said an insider.
“It is said some of them do not have even a single O’ Level subject as required by the ZRCS constitution.
“These investigations are meant to remove the members from the organisation so that they are silenced.
“History has it that these investigations and hearings are just a formality as decisions have already been made.”
However, this publication established that the seven members refused to stand before the disciplinary hearings describing them as “kangaroo establishments”.
“Why would I waste my time and energy to stand before a committee of people who don't deserve to be there,” said one of the members.
“We all know the outcome of these hearings. They were predetermined.
“Many have walked through this path because today at Zimbabwe Red Cross there is no separation of the board and the secretariat. It’s one thing.”
The members said it was their right to take the humanitarian organisation to court as provided for by the Zimbabwe Red Cross Society Act (1981 No.30/17.08), which allows for the organisation to be sued as it is “a body corporate capable of suing and being sued in its corporate name and, subject to the provisions of this Act, of performing all such acts as bodies corporate may by law perform”.
They argued that the ZRCS Fraud and Anti-Corruption Policy stipulates that it is the responsibility of all employees, members and volunteers of ZRCS to report all incidents of fraud or corruption, or any other dishonest activities of a similar nature.
According to the policy people can report corruption through formal reporting channels or whistleblowing.
It was established that the ZRCS members’ major concern was the appointment of the elections committee, which was not done in accordance with Article 29.9 of the ZRCS constitution.
The ZRCS constitution stipulates that the elections committee should be made up of 24 members, three from each of the eight statutory provinces.
“Surprisingly, the committee was made up of only six people including the secretary-general himself,” an insider said.
Truth Diggers also established that the other bone of contention regarding last year's election was the involvement of members who do not meet the minimum requirements of the constitution, especially Article 27.2 and 33, but were smuggled into positions especially at branch, district and provincial levels.
“Nominees for the national governing board were questionably the same for the four positions by all the eight provinces, raising a lot of questions, especially on how all the nominating provinces knew the profiles of the people they nominated when there was no nomination court, which should have been set up according to Article 55.4,” an insider said.
Investigations by this publication also revealed that some members in districts such as Shurugwi and Zvishavane in the Midlands province were allegedly handpicked.
According to an objection of the Midlands province election results, a document in our possession, Zvishavane district chairperson Tendai Masuka, vice-chairperson Linet Matumba, secretary Edmore Shoko and treasurer Haruperi Moyo as well as Shurugwi district vice-chairperson and secretary Benjamin Nyamayaro and Mitchell Mawire, respectively joined the ZRCS in February 2024 during a cholera training programme.
“The above listed Zvishavane members joined Red Cross in February 2024 after being trained for cholera prevention by the Red Cross, thus they do not have two consecutive years as members at branch level and three consecutive years as members at district level,” reads part of the letter dated October 5, 2024.
“The above do not have minimum diploma qualifications.”
Truth Diggers also established that there were similar cases across the country.
In Masvingo, all districts never voted and most members retained their positions although they did not have the prerequisite qualifications, sources said.
Mashonaland Central provincial vice-chairperson Archford Maibek allegedly does not have the prerequisite qualifications and only presented a driver’s licence to the elections committee, as does Mejury Mashingaidze who is the Harare district treasurer.
Mashingaidze has an online diploma in caregiving.
According to the ZRCS constitution one should have a national diploma in accounts or Finance to be a treasurer.
Mashingaidze’s anger boiled when Truth Diggers sought comment from her.
“Where did you get my number? Who gave you my number?” she asked.
“Tell that person not to dare me, why would that person share my contacts without my permission in the first place.”
Maibek referred Truth Diggers to the ZRCS communications department.
“I am not allowed to talk to the press,” he said.
Beitbridge district chairperson Misheck Khumalo, who is said to have been smuggled in through the backdoor, does not have the mandatory qualifications, Truth Diggers established.
He could not be reached yesterday.
Former ZRCS Matabeleland South provincial chairperson and ex-national governing council member, Luxon Mudzimiri, said the humanitarian organisation needed a complete overhaul to restore integrity and the ability to fulfil its mission as a humanitarian organisation.
Mudzimiri said this during a recent interview on HStv’s Game Changer programme.
He said the victimisation of the seven members was similar to the allegations that led to his dismissal after he exposed rampant corruption and nepotism within the leadership ranks.
“My membership was withdrawn alleging that I had falsified documents and supported a court story, which was not supposed to follow through legal processes of the organisation,” he said.
“This was their way of eliminating every individual who became aware of their corrupt activities and the fact that their personal interests have overshadowed humanitarian goals.”
Mudzimiri said there was need to restore the integrity of the institution.
“The ZRCS stands at a critical juncture. As allegations of corruption and mismanagement come to light, the organisation must confront these challenges head-on if it hopes to regain trust and credibility,” he said.
“The future of humanitarian aid in Zimbabwe hinges on the ability of the organisation to return to its foundational principles, prioritising the welfare of the community over the interests of a select few.
“Only through transparency, accountability and genuine commitment to service can the organisation reclaim its role as a beacon of hope for those in need.”
Members said efforts to use available internal remedies provided in the volunteer code of conduct hit a brick wall.
“Letters of objections were sent to various platforms where members were questioning the way the elections were done, but they were not entertained,” sources said.
“Even the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) head of country cluster delegation for Zimbabwe, Zambia and Malawi Mr John Roche was appraised with the way the elections were being done and he chose to ignore.
“There is a letter that was written to Mr Roche about the violation of the constitution during the election and he did not respond.
“Members also questioned the composition of the Elections Committee and no one responded, which forced members to seek redress through the courts.”
Truth Diggers last week sent questions to the IFRC communications director Aleksandra Saša Gorišek, who did not respond by the time of going to print.
Hwenga has since refuted the allegations, saying they are all false.
Chaliyanika, a headmaster in Binga, could not be reached for comment although a person who responded to a call on his supposed contact said it was a wrong number.
The ZRCS members said the organisation’s constitution states that membership of the Zimbabwe Red Cross Society shall be open to all who subscribe to the principles of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement (ICRC) have the responsibility to ensure that fair and democratic elections of the representatives are guaranteed for the governance of the society.
They said they have since reached out to the IFRC, ICRC and other organisation for possible redress.
