Chronicle Editor
Nqobile Tshili, Chronicle Correspondent
ZANU-PF Matabeleland North province is investigating a councillor from Umguza district who is allegedly illegally parcelling out land and promising non-existent scholarships to aspiring university students using the party name.
Umguza Rural District Council Ward 17 Clr Moses Siphuma is said to be illegally allocating land in Umguza and Matobo districts at a fee ranging between $30 and $300.
He also promised 14 girls who completed their Advanced Levels that Umguza MP and Minister of Macro Economic Development and Investment Promotion Dr Obert Mpofu was funding a scholarship for underprivileged youths to study at the Midlands State University.
His scam was unearthed when MSU opened for its academic year at the end of July with Siphuma shifting goal posts to the scholarship “beneficiaries”
Tired of his never ending stories, the students’ parents approached Dr Mpofu demanding answers.
Dr Mpofu said the demand shocked him as he was not sponsoring any scholarship.
On Thursday last week, Dr Mpofu called a meeting in Umguza to discuss the matter.
A Chronicle news crew attended the meeting where both parents and children narrated how they fell victim to Cde Siphuma.
Zanu-PF Matabeleland North provincial chairperson Cde Richard Moyo, Umguza District Administrator Mr Tapiwa Zivovoyi and government officials attended the meeting.
“We believed him because he was doing everything in official offices. He would use Government offices or Umguza RDC offices to conduct his business.
“Even when we went with him, he would visit the Vice Chancellor’s office and talk to officials there,” said one of the girls who was duped.
Another girl said although Cde Siphuma gave them hope over their prospects of education, they were concerned that for every trip they made to MSU, he would request bus fare from them.
One of the parents said Cde Siphuma pegged a stand for her while in a vehicle only pointing to her where she had been allocated land.
After the meeting, Cde Moyo said Cde Siphuma needs to come clean or risk being recalled.
“We’ve heard so many complaints about his behaviour; we will soon call an inter-district meeting in Umguza to discuss his fate. We are just waiting for those who were duped by him to report their case. After that we will take the findings of the inter-district meeting to the Provincial Executive Committee and probably we are going to recall him,” he said.
Cde Siphuma was yesterday evasive when contacted for comment, promising to visit The Chronicle newsroom to tell his side of the story.
“I’m rushing to submit my papers for mining then I will come to your offices. I won’t be long,” said Cde Siphuma last Friday.
He never turned up.
@nqotshili
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