adminFarirai Machivenyika Senior Reporter
Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition director Mr Macdonald Lewanika’s contract with the United States Agency for International Development funded organisation will not be extended upon its expiration in December after financial irregularities were noted during his tenure. In a letter to Mr Lewanika last Friday, CZC board chairperson Mr Dewa Mavhinga said they were not obliged to renew his contract since it was fixed.
“I am writing to confirm that your contract of employment that came into effect on January 2 2012 will expire on the 31st of December 2014,” he said.
“The CZC board met on October 10 2014 and decided not to renew your contract.”
Mr Mavhinga said they were not satisfied with the nature of the organisation’s finances as reported in the 2013 External Audit report.
“In light of, among other things, the 2013 External Audit Report that the Board reviewed today, the CZC is neither satisfied with your performance nor is it confident in your leadership of the organisation,” he said.
According to another internal communication between Mr Mavhinga and a person he only identifies as Mukoma, Mr Lewanika also failed to ensure that statutory remittances were made on time, while tender procedures were also flouted.
“Among the problematic findings of the 2013 External Audit (when Mr Lewanika was in charge of the organisation) some of which we had established prior to the audit and were confirmed were the following:
“In 2013, the CZC had not paid statutory obligations including Pay As You Earn due to the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority and staff pensions due to NSSA for the entire year except in the month of May. As a result of this negligence, CZC accrued arrears and was fined a penalty exceeding $22 000.
“In 2013, the organisation failed to comply with donor reporting requirements (USAID) in failing to perform a USAID audit within stipulated time and failing to send Value Added Tax receipts to USAID as required.”
Mr Mavhinga said a car had been bought for $44 000 without following tender procedures when the requirement was that any purchase above $33 000 should be put to public tender.
“In view of the above and in light of the discussion on whether or not to renew the director’s contract, it was the board’s feeling that renewing the director’s contract will send a wrong message of condonation and acceptance of negligence,” he said.
The appointment of Mr Lewanika in 2012 was also mired with controversy amid allegations of nepotism and abuse of authority. Before becoming director of CZC, Mr Lewanika was its board chairman and was accused by Mr Pedzisayi Ruhanya, then the organisation’s programmes manager, of abusing his authority to assume the post.
Mr Ruhanya also had ambitions to lead the organisation.
Mr Lewanika refused to comment on the issue yesterday, while Mr Mavhinga could not be reached for comment.
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