Shumirai Zhou
ZVISHAVANE – The new substantive president of the Scout Association of Zimbabwe (SAZ), Ignatius Kajengo, who was elected at the organisation’s 68th Annual General elective meeting held on April 8, 2017 at Chinziwa Scout Park in Mutare, has dismissed claims coming from some quarters that he won the election through a flawed electoral process.
Kajengo won the election unopposed and with Gordon Tapfuma and Chris Mbanga as his deputies.
Highfield SAZ leader Allan Choruma, however, feels the elections were marred by irregularities and he has written to Kajengo requesting the nullification of the elections which he said were held in a manner which violated the SAZ constitution.
When contacted for comment, Kajonga acknowledged receipt of the letter but dismissed Choruma’s accusations as baseless.
“He writes as if he is representing many people yet those are his own sentiments and he represents nobody else. He is tarnishing people’s reputations through baseless claims and it’s not the first time he has been saying that; he has been using the internet to spread the same falsehoods for a long time,” said Kajengo.
He accused Choruma of wanting to politicise the movement which he said is non-political.
“We don’t even bother responding to his nefarious accusations but I think it’s high time we take action against him. He is not even a scout in the first place; for you to be a scout, you need to have a warranty yet he does not have it. He wants to politicise a non-political organisation which simply works for the good of children,” said Kajengo.
In his letter, Choruma however indicates that his sentiments are shared by many other provinces that reportedly feel that the winners profited from a flawed electoral process.
“The National Scout Executive Council agreed that for a province to vote, it should meet certain requirements such as submitting its audited financial statements and paying up certain levies among others.
“Out of five provinces (Midlands, Mashonaland, Matabeleland, Masvingo and Manicaland) only Matabeleland and Midlands submitted their audited financial statements though Midlands does not meet the International Reporting Standards. However, all provinces were allowed to vote.
“Also delegates who owe the association must not vote. Some members were nominated into office while having outstanding debts to the association for example; Munyaradzi Musamba owes US$2,733.64 but was nominated as a member of the audit commission. Also Nhamoinesu Mahachi and Emanuel Sakahuni owe US$3 390 and US$2 612 respectively to SAZ but they voted,” reads part of the letter.
Choruma also claims that rules were violated when contesting candidates, Kujonga, Mbanga and one Martin Chitate were allowed to count votes when the task was supposed to be done only by neutral personnel.local
