Zimdef CEO defends ‘funds abuse’

Zvamaida Murwira, Harare Bureau
ZIMBABWE Manpower Development Fund chief executive officer Mr Fredrick Mandizvidza yesterday defended the abuse of $450 000 by Higher and Tertiary Education Science and Technology Development Minister Professor Jonathan Moyo claiming as the Trustee, the Minister reserved the right to select projects to fund.

Mr Mandizvidza was responding to inquiries from legislators who accused Zimdef of failing to properly prioritise financial resources by channelling them into activities that had nothing to do with its core mandate of human capital development.

The Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Higher and Tertiary Education had invited Zimdef officials to explain their mandate and reports of financial mismanagement among other issues.

Committee chairperson Cde Paradzai Chakona (Zanu-PF) questioned the prudence of splashing about $1 million (from $22 000 in 2015), when the Ministry participated at the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair last year.

“Comments which are said here and there are made most probably by people who have not come to look at our books. There are no funds that have been misappropriated. At the same time, where the Ministry comes up with a specific programe meant to support skills development, it is the Minister’s prerogative to say can we focus on this, like the STEM initiative,” said Mr Mandizvidza.

“On ZITF, it was a facility that provides for demonstration of the latest technology that is developed at institutions of higher learning and also to set the pace and standards at which science and technology development should be focused. So, to conclude that channelling resources there is abuse, is an exaggeration. This is why I said let the law take its course.”

Cde Chakona accused Zimdef of failing to prioritise pertinent issues related to human capital development.

He said while Zimdef might have a paper trail on how it used funds, some of the projects were misdirected given that they were not directed towards its core mandate.

This was after Mr Mandizvidza had denied allegations of mismanagement arguing that their books were regularly audited and had received a clean bill of health.

Some of the projects that Zimdef funded include the purchase of bicycles for traditional leaders in Tsholotsho North, Prof Moyo’s constituency, as well as procuring 100 000 litres of fuel ostensibly for the Zanu-PF Youth wing.

“I will reiterate that we have not disbursed any money that has been misdirected. If there are any resources misdirected, this is why we are saying let the law take its own course because as far as we are concerned, we have not misdirected funds to other areas,” Mr Mandizvidza said.

Asked to comment on reports that Zimdef was retrenching staff after millions of funds were allegedly siphoned by Prof Moyo and his deputy, Dr Godfrey Gandawa, Mr Mandizvidza said they were carrying out a “staff rationalisation programme.”

He said some of their staff members had been with the organisation since the 1980s and some of their skills were no longer relevant.

“Some staff have become redundant. There is no organisation that would stop rationalising itself given the new system,” said Mr Mandizvidza.
The Constitutional Court is set to determine whether the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission has arresting powers after it charged Prof Moyo, Dr Gandawa and Zimdef finance director Mr Nicholas Mapute for allegedly abusing Zimdef funds.