Online Reporter
Tendai Gukutikwa
Post Reporter
A FRESH standoff has erupted in the Destiny of Afrika Network (Danet) dispute as founder Reverend Obediah Musindo claims Mr Wilson Masokovere is obstructing the takeover of Mutare offices.
In an interview on Wednesday, Reverend Musindo said that enforcing High Court orders in Mutare is being met with serious resistance and violent tactics by former Manicaland projects coordinator, Mr Masokovere.
He said the former coordinator has resisted enforcement efforts, allegedly using intimidation and violent tactics to block the organisation’s operations.
“We are facing serious challenges implementing and enforcing the High Court orders in Mutare, and we are facing serious resistance and reluctance. Mr Masokowere never surrendered the premises as he was supposed to; instead, he has turned into a mafia and become violent.
“He has launched a smear campaign on me thinking that will stop me. He has resorted to using hooligans. He now calls himself a cooperative administrator and changed names at our premises to a housing cooperative. He is doing all he can to stop us from taking over,” he said.
Reverend Musindo added that despite opening alternative offices in the city, Mr Masokovere continues to occupy the Mutare premises, obstructing the organisation’s efforts to implement its mandate and conduct audits of its housing projects in Manicaland.
In response, Mr Masokovere insisted that he will not vacate the Mutare offices until a proper handover process is followed.
In an interview on Wednesday, he maintained that the transition must adhere to formal procedures accounting for the organisation’s projects and finances.
“Instead of following proper procedure, they came here with what I would call mafia tactics and tried to be violent. We will not have that. You cannot enforce a ruling using the mafia. We want the proper procedure so that everything is done legally,” he said.
Mr Masokovere stressed that thousands of members are involved in the housing projects and that any attempt to forcibly remove him could create confusion or allegations of mismanagement.
“I am still going to work at our premises and will only stop after the proper procedure is done,” he said.
He also questioned why he should be removed from offices that he claims his faction is legitimately occupying.
“Why should we be kicked out of the offices? Do they even know who owns the house that we are renting as our offices? What if it is mine?” Mr Masokovere asked.
He added that Danet had already opened offices elsewhere in the city, and should direct its members there rather than attempting to seize the existing premises by force.
Mr Masokowere also dismissed claims that his faction had re-branded in defiance of Danet’s authority.
“Before we became Danet, we were Eastern Highlands Housing Cooperative. We have not re-branded. It is just some of the members who are saying that. If what Musindo wants is the Danet name, maybe he should just take it and we revert back to Eastern Highlands Housing Cooperative. That is what the members are saying, not any decision that we have made,” he said.
The leadership dispute, simmering for several years, centres on disagreements over the management of housing schemes in the province.
Reverend Musindo has repeatedly stressed that an audit of the projects is critical to ensure transparency and accountability for payments made by members.
“We are appointing a task force to run the projects transparently. We will conduct the audit he has been refusing to sanction, covering the stands and the books, and verifying payments with members,” he said.
The controversy has roots in claims that over 1 000 people in Mutare paid more than US$3 000 each for residential stands, yet the allocations were not reflected in the organisation’s books.
Mr Masokovere allegedly sold an additional 300 stands to non-members, according to Reverend Musindo who insisted that these irregularities are the reason the transition of leadership is essential.
“No one will be affected except Mr Masokovere,” he added, emphasising that the organisation’s membership, which numbers thousands across several projects, will continue to benefit from the schemes despite the ongoing dispute.
The standoff continues to cast uncertainty over the management of the housing schemes in Manicaland, which reportedly involve about 9 000 members.
