Job Sikhala
TellZim Reporter
GUTU – Movement for Democratic Change (MDC-T) secretary for mobilisation, Job Sikhala allegedly disrupted a Gutu High School Development Committee (SDC) elective Annual General Meeting (AGM) elections when it became apparent he was not going to win a position he wanted, TellZim News has learnt.
Many influential individuals with political connections including businessman Titus Madzingo and Sikhala were contesting for the post of SDC chair and they had reportedly brought hired supporters to vote for them.
A source at Gutu High who spoke to TellZim News on condition of anonymity confirmed the incident saying the school was now making consultations to reschedule the elections.
“There were many influential people contesting for the position. Some brought people who even do not have children at the school to vote for them and it was those people who booed one of the candidates. So those who felt they had not yet mobilised enough support to win called for the elections to be postponed and disrupted the proceedings in the process,” said the source.
In a phone interview with TellZim News, Sikhala said the reason for the postponement was failure to produce audited statements for the year 2017/2018 by the current SDC.
“I am sure whoever is saying that is from the current SDC because the decision to postpone was unanimous. The current SDC failed to show parents audited statements for the year 2017-18,” Sikhala said.
Another source at the school, however, dismissed the audited statements version of the story saying parents had already been told about the issue prior to the meeting.
“Parents were told before the meeting that external auditors had not yet submitted the reports and all parents agreed to continue with the elections in the expectation that the statements would be available at the next meeting.
“The AGM was being held earlier than usual so the issue of audited reports was not the problem and was not the reason for the disruption,” the source said.local
