Clive Thabo Dube
THE Bulawayo Progressive Residents Association (BPRA) is under probe for allegedly being a political launch pad with its leaders allegedly involved in grant fund embezzlement, this publication has established.
Bulawayo residents have shown discontent towards BPRA officials and have urged the accused to desist from subterfuge code of conduct and using the association for nefarious political agendas.
The major issues of concern raised by the residents include conducting political activities under the pretext of resident gathering, service delivery dialogues and pocketing of donor funds by the executives,
as well as using the platform to gain grassroot support for future political endeavors and mobilizing the youths to protest against the Mnangagwa regime at the 44th SADC Summit.
Sources close to the matter revealed that the current BPRA leadership holds political ambitions, thus, it is heavily involved in funding political activities for an opposition political party.
“BPRA is no longer doing its mandate of representing and serving the residents. It is now a political movement. We have noticed that they pretend to mobilize residents but they are in fact conducting political gatherings.” Revealed the source.
Busani Ncube who is the current Executive Committee Chairperson is in the deep end as he is singled out for being the one behind all the “shenanigans” rocking BPRA. According to the reports, Ncube is now a self styled convener but nobody elected him into the position. Reports further suggest that Ncube solely steers the BPRA ship and together with Emmanuel Ndlovu, during his tenure as the association Coordinator, fund mismanagement was the order of the day.
The two are alleged to be unscrupulous as they went an extra mile and sought financial assistance from Ibhetshu LikaZulu, misleading the local pressure group that the funds are to benefit the residents.
Ndlovu’s phone was unreachable by the time of writing and is yet to respond to questions sent to his inbox.
Another source said falsification of financial accounts has gone unchecked and this lack of transparency has seen the BPRA leadership profiteering and orchestrating their political careers through the association, this calls for an immediate intervention.
“They cook the books (manipulate figures) and they are no longer tackling issues of service delivery. It’s all politics now, grooming the youths to become politicians. These youngsters are now even being bribed with alcohol to go and protest at SADC”.
Paranoia has been doping government officials and law enforcement agents ahead of the 44th Ordinary SADC summit of Heads State and Government officials on August 17, 2024 at the capital, Harare.
Seventy- eight (78) Citizen Coalition for Change (CCC) activists, including Advocate Nelson Chamisa loyalist Jameson Timba were arrested on June 16 for holding an unsanctioned gathering for the purposes of “engaging in an unlawful demonstration in Harare.”
This shake up, is seen as Government measure to clamp down on voices of dissent and sale the idea to other SADC Heads of State during the summit, that “all is well” in “democratic” Zimbabwe.
The association is hammered with reported cases of “intent to demonstrate” using donor funds to finance the protests and political affiliation.
Instead of Ncube responding to this reporter’s questions with full effect in regards to the matter, he rather secretly spoke to the Editor of Zim GBC News and gave false information about a former member he named Mguni.
Ncube alleged that Mguni is bitter for being ousted from his position in the previous Executive, thus he (Mguni) has been spreading malicious and wrong information about BPRA to the effect that the organization is pushing a political agenda.
“The issue here is that many lost the elections. They believe that by being founders they are to be protected and easily secure leadership positions… We respect them as the founding members but the organization belongs to the residents.
“All these allegations we know are coming from individuals who lost in the elections and are trying to bring the organization to disrepute…We think they are now even working with the State, which is why unrelated issues (SADC demonstrations) are brought up. But that will not stop us from working for the Bulawayo residents”. Said Busani Ncube to the Editor.
However, his allegations are a smack in the face as he sent a message to the same Editor begging that this story be not published.
BPRA held its elections last month and new leaders for the Board of Trustees and the Executive Committee were elected with Stephen Nkomo and Busani Ncube now heading the two top posts respectively.
Stephen Nkomo, the BPRA Executive Chairperson reiterated that, “BPRA is apolitical and will remain so.”
Ambrose Sibindi, who was a long serving member and Chairperson of BPRA, relinquished his post last year as he shifted to the political field under CCC ticket backed by controversial Senator. Sengezo Tshabangu.
Meanwhile, Malvin Phiri, the BPRA finance Officer and his colleague Claud Phuti, the Programs Manager revealed to this publication that BPRA for most part of 2023 was financially strapped and non- operational up until September. And the Auditors’ report issued by Phiri did not raise any flags.
The report it is said, declared unqualified opinion , meaning the report is clean and does not have any adverse comments.
Despite the assurances made by the BPRA leadership, the concerns of Bulawayo residents have not gone unnoticed with the Zimbabwe National Organization of Associations and Residents Trust (ZNOART) already looking into the matter.
Mr. Shalvar Chikomba, ZNOART National Chairperson said they are well aware of the fraud allegations leveled against BPRA executives.
We publish the full ZNOART statement below.
“As an apex body we have received a myriad of complaints from residents against Bulawayo Progressive Residents Association and these complaints boarder on FRAUD, WASTE, MONEY LAUNDERING, EMBLEZZLEMENT AND ABUSE OF GRANT FUNDS BY BULAWAYO PROGRESSIVE RESIDENTS ASSOCIATIONS, IN BULAWAYO METROPOLITAN PROVINCE, ZIMBABWE.
In addition, we have also received reports which are proving to be true that the above-mentioned organization and its officials is/ are:
(1) Using grant funds to support activities of a political nature to further the cause of a certain opposition political party that we are not able to mention at this point because of an ongoing investigation.
(2) Create meetings under the pretext that they are service delivery meetings while they are meetings with opposition figures and use the same platform to create basis for giving remuneration in form of allowances.
(3) Heavily involved in mobilizing residents and young people to protest against the government during the SADC Summit. In furtherance, it forms part of people who are contributing financial and material resources towards the protests.
BPRA is now being used as political grooming school for politicians. They are parachuted into BPRA structures wherein they now use the chance to work with residents and build base for election time. Thus they ride on their familiarity gained using BPRA to campaign for public office.
In conclusion ZNOART condemns BPRA and its officials for abusing residents by soliciting for funds using them and Channeling the same to further political agendas.
ZNOART is currently conducting an investigation into affairs at BPRA and once concluded the same will be made public and communicated to relevant government agencies for serious consequences management to apply to both the organization as a juristic person and officials involved in such nefarious activities. In the same vein, organizations genuinely funding BPRA whose funds have been abused will also be alerted of the happenings in the same organization.
ZNOART warns residents associations to desist from stealing and cheating residents as well as dealing in a manner that exhibits Dishonesty.”
The Zimbabwe National Organization of Associations and Residents Trust (ZNOART) is a non political body which serves as the apex body for resident associations and residents.
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