The unceremonious departure of Combined Harare Residents
Association (CHRA)’s chief executive officer Mr Mfundo Mlilo continues to feed
market rumour that he was jettisoned over allegations of gross mismanagement
and embezzling funds amounting to US$1,5 million.
Mr Mlilo reportedly failed to satisfactorily account for
donor funds. Sources said he allegedly used some of the funds to pamper himself
at a local hotel and to bankroll the campaign of MDC-Alliance Member of
Parliament for Harare West Joana Mamombe during last year’s harmonised
elections.
“He misappropriated funds amounting to US$1,5 million and
failed to account for his stay at a hotel in Harare.
“Some of funds were channelled to Joanna Mamombe for her
campaign,” a close source said. However, Mr Mlilo told The Sunday Mail he has
resigned to focus on personal business.
He elected not to comment on allegations of embezzling
US$1,5 million from the non-governmental organisation, which is considered an
umbrella organisation for Harare residents.
CHRA acting board chairperson Ms Beatrice Ngwenya, however,
is fighting in his corner.
“Firstly, CHRA has never received such a huge amount of
funding since its inception in 1999. Secondly, CHRA completed its 2018 annual
audits in February 2019 and all the reports are good.
“CHRA has always been accountable to its partners and all its
project funds have been audited. Thirdly, Mfundo Mlilo resigned from the
association as of the March 1 2019 and his personal life, social and political
activities have nothing to do with CHRA.”
MP Mamombe could not be reached for comment by the time of
going to print.
NGOs have of late come under the spotlight for abusing
donor funds.
Last year, the United States Agency for International
Development (USAID) had to withdraw funding from several NGOs in Zimbabwe after
an audit unearthed massive embezzlement of funds at Counselling Services Unit
(CSU), Elections Resource Centre and the Zimbabwe Human Rights Association
(ZimRights).
A similar saga also rocked Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition
(CiZC) in 2014 after an adverse audit report implicated the then director,
McDonald Lewanika, in the misuse of the organisation’s funds, among other
issues. Sunday Mail
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