A pressure group campaigning against graft, the Coalition Against Corruption (CAC), on Wednesday urged parliament to probe Masvingo Provincial Affairs Minister, Kudakwashe Bhasikiti, over the alleged disappearance of some funds and other donations meant for Chingwizi camp flood victims.
Coalition Against Corruption director, Terry Mutsvanga, said his organization is unhappy with reports that more than $500,000 donated by the Chinese government to assist the Chingwizi flood victims has not reached its intended beneficiaries.
“We do not even know how that money was disbursed or used in actually assisting the flood victims because when we toured Chingwizi on several occasions we could hear complaints from disgruntled villagers that they are going to bed on empty stomachs. So, there is need to look into it,” he said.
Mutsvanga called on parliament to set up a probe team to investigate the Tokwe-Mukosi government-appointed committee led by Bhasikiti.
Meanwhile, the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR) says it is concerned by the deteriorating food situation at Chingwizi camp following recent skirmishes at the transit camp.
ZLHR spokesperson, Kumbirai Mafunda, said the shortage of food at Chingwizi is now threatening the flood victims’ constitutional right to food.
“We remain concerned about reports that CAC has unearthed about the denial of food. We interact with these villagers … they told us about the food rations that they get which they said were inadequate,” said Mafunda.
For his part, Bhasikiti told Studio 7 by phone that he would welcome the setting up of a probe team to look into the corruption allegations.
He said this would help clear his name and that of his committee.
