Hungry lions hoovering around to devour Nyaminyami RDC response

I am Mwiimpu Hanjeleha of Monze, Zambia. I read the above story in your news online. I have been serving in the NGOs sector in that district. The persons being attacked in that piece I know them totally well. I would want to respond with regard to the article.

The corrupt accused CEO J. Mugande, have worked with him, he was in the Social Services Dpt of the RDC by then which was coordinating our activities in the district. He is very young but very focused, I think thus the reason why he was appointed acting CEO. When he speaks he speaks sense and is full of development knowledge. With him in the field, work was so interesting as he mixes well with the communities and the communities understands him better.

Going straight to the accusations I think Nyaminyami as a district is in safe hands with him. The moves he is taking are the ones making his name defamed by the so called former CEO and cabal,since he is right on the steps of correcting the destructed image of the district. After reading the article I had a chance to meet the Acting CEO in Lusaka, and shared with him the article, he just laughed and said this is not new and not in a position to respond since the article was intended to move him off development focus and concentrate on interested parties provoking drama. He never commented any word further save saying Mwiimpu my pal let us change the topic and enjoy our lunch because the CEO's post was not in his mind.

The truth of the matter is the young man has touched souls of the former MP Isaac Mackenzie and cabal as him, John Mugande is trying really hard to push the government vision 2030. Again it should be known that this is not the first time this young man being attacked ever since the death of her mom who was a sister to Isaac.

As a result this young man is calling for reviewing of all council and safari operators agreements, to ensure they embrace corporate social responsibility to promote community development and benefit. This move has led to Safrique owner Jonathan Wright taking council to court and the high court granting a court order in favor of Joe Wright. He made it clear that Nyaminyami is not broke but that the lock is  the agreements which were signed by him Isaac Mackenzie, and witnessed by drivers in some circumstances. He further explained that they are no council resolutions to support the automatic renewal of all the agreements. Instead of council business being at its Headoffice, most of them were signed in Harare. John Mugande and his team are trying to align the agreements with the new Public Procurement and Public Asset Disposal Act, and out write the roll over thing which was taken by events and which is giving the safari operators total mandate to renew the agreements automatically for another four years on the same conditions. The conditions carries a negative impact to development of the district and removes the right mandated to councils to govern which further undermines the efforts of government to vision 2030 and further disempower the councilors in decision making.

Him the writer of the article, Isaac Mackenzie, was tried and tested for 15years but he made the local council sink further both as an MP and former CEO. All the chaos in Nyaminyami are the sprouts of his tenure and justifies his failure. So John Mugande there is no where he can be good because is having a broad sight and will to see the district improving its revenue base through determining and deciding over its resources to ensure improved service delivery. Its funny to hear that Isaac Mackenzie is pin pointing John Mugande, when he even swindled some of the wards resources by channelling them towards his MP contest campaign in 2013. The same John Mugande whom he is claiming to have divided vote is the one who spearheaded his 2013 campaigns which led him to the helm. To prove the young man got a bold vision he clearly advised him that you have shoot your target over bar you won't see 2018 as your tenure has failed to support and foster ZANU PF goals. He decided to shun him and joined the eccentric young blood,Tapson Shumba. Him Isaac MacKenzie fielded his son to stand as an independent candidate to divide the vote to enable Shumba lose as a ZANU PF candidate.

After the elections Isaac's son send  a WhatsApp chat to John, advising him that Shumba's loss brought them a fortune as MDC offered a scholarship to his brother Kumbirai to study in England as a payback for the job well done of dividing votes and making shumba lose. Someone could wonder when he says him Isaac lost to MDC,when he never contested in the final election of 2018.

When we last visited the valley a day to elections, another ZANU PF youth was complaining advising that Isaac Mackenzie visited the village heads the previous day in Mola ward 4 advising them to vote for his son and if seen not to be suitable the electorates should go for the white man by the name of John Houghton.The above constitutes Isaac's hurt to John. During the primary election era they were associated to different opposition parties John and Shumba until they proved them wrong by defeating Isaac Mackenzie at primary election.

Going to the issue of council project, John brought the project back to life I believe. In 2010 John joined council as a Kapenta project manager, he improved the project by refurbishing the rigs three months after joining, and added another rig in 2012 to make them three. He advised council to consider wages according to the industry to ensure profitability and the chore was ignored by the same Isaac Mackenzie. The Kapenta sales were not flowing back to the project, and mostly John's associate and corporate relationships made the project float.Later on Isaac Mackenzie decided to have the rigs sold at $20,000 all three and John tipped the only attendant to the auction not to bid as a result of the rigs condition and value being not equivalent to the purchase value. If they were sold whom was Isaac Mackenzie going to say he took the rigs for personal use. Now the rigs were tendered on paper and two companies responded, of the two fairbreak enterprises a company owned by two Harare ladies won the tender, which was later miscontrued by the same opportunist.To John they only asked for a landing space at his simulonga port, Sengwa river mouth.

On issue of vehicle parts I wonder which parts really and to whose vehicle were they take to because John do not own a vehicle. If so him the writer why can't he tell how many council vehicles did he take at his helm under the disguise of an auction? He should be honest with this.

Who is corrupt, one who collects council money for his own personal use and one Who sought investment with a kick back and someone who wishes to ensure benefit of many. Issue of muchero, a tender was float two weeks in paper as required by law and only one company Muchero Investment responded to market the district investment opportunities, where is John linked. If the world doesnt know Mackenzie is pushing for his come back to continue and protect his interests in Safrique and Bulembi which are sole sponsors of his livelihood for the district to continue suffering. ZANU pf on a serious note should scrutinise the interests of its ZANU PF councilors in that council, it will find out that they are some councilors who are denouncing the manifesto of the party for their personal benefit and these are Mackenzie's informants since they share corrupted loots. The same corruption is leading to ZANU PF loss in the area as a matter of councilors and former MP involved in CAMPFIRE scandals being aligned to the party. Heard senior managers were taken by ZACC, if really looked into carefully you would see that some of those members taken are innocent but no one was giving any ear to them to follow correct procedures. Some of the councilors were supposed to be taken too and him Isaac Mackenzie.

Today John is trying to bring a balanced benefit to the imbalance which was brought in by Mackenzie. The agreements entered into between Mackenzie's era gives much powers to the whites safari operators.If they are maintained Nyaminyami will remain poor. Trophy fees were maintained at the same value for the past 10-15years and being paid in local currency at the same rate with US$ in which the animals trophy fees were being charged at no matter of official bank rates having been effected.

If you are to find out you will see that Mbire is selling its elephant at around US$18000 and Tsholotsho is selling at US$40000,while Nyaminyami since 2013 thus Mackenzie's period it has been selling its elephant at US$9000 and mandated the operator to continue on those conditions through automatic renewals till eternity, this is a total shame to people who perpetuate to have done strategic management at master level.

John Mugande, is becoming unpopular as he has touched on several big wigs' interests. I don't think if John is immature and lacks knowledge of council protocols council could have reached the level it is today. If ratings were made or to those who are keeping a close eye on Nyaminyami an improvement could be seen, even relations has improved. John Mugande is on the right direction of government of the day's policies and the ruling party's thrust, but these corrupt cabals of the concerned leopard in sheep's skin want to disturb the little boy's knoble move.

Let us not forget that of the denouncers, Isaac Mackenzie benefitted in Mackenzie Point Game Conservancy and is a silent partner in that arrangement, he also benefitted in the rejected Ume River Conservancy. If you keep a close eye you will see that all these arrangements brought spoils to the communities up to an extend of affecting the majority's livelihood sources by blocking them to the lake front and relocating close to 100 gillnet artisans, leaving one white operator with 140sq. km of lake stretch on one of Zimbabwe's historic strategic areas, the Khotakhota narrows.

One of Isaac Mackenzie's close man, who is former councilor, Gilbert Chibayamagora is a director in one of these hunting safari companies. Again part of the previous councilors received motor bikes from the most troublesome safari operator Joe Wright to safe guard his interests. Now following his agreement having expired on 31December 2018, he still insists that his agreement still exists on automatic renewal arrangement which has been superseded by the new law on public procurement. If we intend to look into it on a deep angle we will realise that Jonathan Wright is the one now owning Omay North and south concessions, where Omay north was swindled concession fees amounting to three years. The same concession carries a figure head owner in form of Chris Moore a crooked and bribe negotiator to ensure continuous swindling of the local authority and community resources. Gatchegatche the operator agreed to have his agreement reviewed and having the conditions changed no matter he had several calls from Joe Wright to shun hunting following John's move to take to tender the concessions and review conditions to ensure community plough back carrying and trophy fees negotiating allowing contracts to move on the development agenda. Up to today no matter of the high court order, John Mugande and his interim team refused to sign the agreements for Bulembi and Safrique safaris as they are derivative contracts in nature which are not supported by an Act of parliament of Zimbabwe. Their call is on tender to comply with the new law on public procurement and to allow competitive bidding since roll over was taken by events.

The ruling party in Zimbabwe and the government should support this young man and his interim management goals and they will prove that if applied ZANU PF will realised continued victory in that district and that the district will become rich again. Now those who put in the article are the hungry lions, because they allowed the safari operators to delete all clauses of benefit on agreements made during Hove's time as CEO for their benefit. Him Isaac Mackenzie managed to take his children to China through bribes from the same safari operators. So him John Mugande being on a mission to ensure evitable benefit he cannot be popular, they will fight by all means to have him tarnished but it will be a very big loss to the nation and the community. To me if John Mugande is not of any interest, its better to consider some one else than Isaac MacKenzie, the district will sink further. His coming back is to fulfill Joe wright and Bulembi interests who are swindling the district from benefitting and deciding over its resources. The councilors should revert to their pre election promises and recognise the government vision and desist from individualism their game will be perfect.

The speed boat matter, John owns no speed boat save for a Kapenta rig bought from a former Kapenta fishing operator (TD). The speed boat being spoke of him Mackenzie allowed it to go to Kariba for a swop and top deal with a much smaller boat complete with its engine with the council sabre hull which was damaged and without an engine. The swopped speed boat has been delivered to council in 2017 from Chawara harbor with an engine.

If Nyaminyami RDC reengages Mackenzie as CEO, then the appointment has to be nullified. The CID gave Mackenzie a police clearance as a result of him not being convicted yet, but Mackenzie still has cases to answer in court of law as a result of his cases pending in the very courts. Police clearance is not court clearance, by that alone Mackenzie do not qualify to be shortlisted for interviews. He sued the very council yesterday and now showing interest to come back why? Watch this return, even a gold panner cannot behave like that. If he is looking for a job he should stopattacking the innocent Jojo. Paricha I don't know much of him but I assume he also once sued council over terminal benefits and still intends to return. Policy makers please intervene in this circus to allow the communities of the district benefit from the remaining few resources. The young whom they are fighting to tarnish maybe the torch bearer. What is required to make him and the interim team to achieve is support. The operators have to compliment the government efforts through speaking agreements, which is the young acting CEO's goal. He is becoming unpopular as a result of that drive. More updates will be given to this paper after my visit to Zim again next week.

THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN MUGANDE'S ADMIN AND MACKENZIE'S

MUGANDE
introduced Paynet to council's payments to ensure online payment and reduce bank withdrawals travelling and subsistence allowances.

Mugande engaged ZIMRA, NSSA, ARDCZ and retrenched staff etc and negotiated on long term payment plans. The effort reduced litigation charge and suspended accounts garnishing.

Mugande's admin prioritised salaries, sitting allowances, litigation and statutory obligations and not self benefit

Mugande's admin is reengaging safari operators in hunting  to have their procedures formalised by taking the concessions to tender and the agreements to include corporate social responsibility issues to support district development and to observe the new law on public procurement.

Mugande's turn around policies are in line with the government policies  and vision 2030.

Mugande administration is pushing for community involving decisions making on development and investment.

Mugande's admin is knocking on investment opportunities  through engaging marketing to try and improve the revenue flow.

Mugande's administration is again reengaging photographic safari operators and other business people in the area to embrace corporates social responsibility and team work in driving development.

Mugande's administration has resolved to return Campfire dividend funds administration back to wards and ensure audit of those funds timeously.

MACKENZIE
Imposing of threat carrying decisions to communities which led to establishment of forced McKenzie point game conservancy and rejected Mackenzie point game conservancy

Ignoring, destroying and hindering audits reports from the previous auditor Edward Paricha.

Swindling and turning of community proceeds to personal use (2013 campaigns funding esp using ward 2 and 8 funds)

Implementing issues before effecting of resolutions.

Smuggling part of game animal trophies into Zambia.

Entering into agreements which do not support corporate social responsibility and which removes council right  to govern and decide over their resources value and deleting clauses which supported community benefit.

Shunning involvement of chiefs in attending full council meetings.

Looting katete safari lodge property for personal use.

Lacks stability and time to listen as compared to the young man.

By Mwiimpu Hanjeleha
Dundumweezi, Mazibaheelene