Tension is escalating within the Zimbabwe Red Cross Society
(ZRCS) as the organisation holds elections to choose its board of governors.
ZRCS has been conducting elections to usher in a new board
starting from the districts and provinces across the country.
The exercise, which started on June 22 and characterised by
mudslinging, backbiting and bickering, is set to end by November 30 when the
organisation holds the national elections.
The run-up to the national polls has been so nasty that
last Wednesday, Edson Mlambo, the incumbent national president, was hauled
before the courts to answer to abuse of office charges.
Charges against Mlambo emanate from one of the two internal
anonymous reports on the organisation’s operations, compiled by the factions
within the ZRCS family.
One of the reports with allegations of nepotism and
corruption within the organisation’s ranks is said to have been leaked to the
Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (Zacc).
However, Zacc spokesperson John Makamure yesterday could
not be reached to confirm if the anti-graft body had received the
whistleblowers’ reports from ZRCS.
The Standard established that during the past seven months
the ferocity of the divisions within the organisation, which is an auxiliary
arm of the government, had been so intense it put the reputation of the
organisation at stake.
“It is dog eat dog when it comes to elections at the
Zimbabwe Red Cross,” said one volunteer at the organisation.
“There is a lot of political bickering and it is all about
counter-accusations.
“Surprisingly, those who accuse others would be having a
lot to hide. Some are using their connections to elbow others out.”
Some directors and several managers have since been
suspended while secretary-general Maxwell Phiri resigned in May.
ZRCS acting secretary-general Elias Hwenga described the
suspension and termination of contracts for some people in the top echelons as
part of the organisation’s disciplinary processes.
“In order to bring sanity to the organisation, we undertook
a formal, independent investigation of this matter,” Hwenga said.
“Any recommendations that came through were considered like
carrying out an audit, skills audit and compiling an assets register.
“We are carrying out disciplinary processes as provided for
in the organisation’s constitution and policies. Those who are being caught on
the wrong side are being brought to book.”
Hwenga was evasive on the “crisis” at ZRCS, but confirmed
that the organisation was having elections this year.
“We started this exercise, which is part of our
constitution, on June 22. We started from our structures at the branch,
district levels, we move on to the provinces before we hold the national
elections,” he said.
“The exercise is going on smoothly and we hope to end it by
November 30. It is unfortunate we had to move the dates because of restrictions
brought by the advent of the Covid-19 pandemic early this year.
“It’s common that during elections results might not come
in your favour, which might cause a lot of problems.”
Hwenga said there was no crisis at ZRCS, but what was
happening was expected of any election environment.
However, he is optimistic that the situation will normalise
at the organisation after the elections.
ZRCS is an auxiliary to government as mandated through the
Zimbabwe Red Cross Society Act of Parliament No 30 of 1981, also known as
Chapter 17:08. Standard
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