LONDON - A commission of enquiry appointed by the MDC-T to investigate alleged financial irregularities by the UK national executive, began its proceedings on Sunday.
The three-member team is being led by MDC-T MP for Lobengula and Water Resources Minister, Sam Sipepa Nkomo. The other members are MP for Bulawayo East Tabitha Khumalo and the partys director for finance, Rumbidzai Nyamayemombe. The team headed straight into a marathon meeting with the suspended members of the UK executive. Jonathan Chawora, the chairman of that executive, confirmed a forensic audit of the financial state of their books began on Sunday.
Party Secretary-General Tendai Biti had notified the UK executive of the decision to suspend them, following a meeting of the party leadership in November last year. In the letter formally suspending the executive, Biti said; The party noted with concern the diminished and arrested functionality of the UK/Ireland province due to extensive bickering and negative application of energy. Pursuant of the submission of your financial report to the party leadership, the party leaders met and deliberated on the report and was shocked by the extent of the financial irregularities in the UK and Ireland accounts. Irregularities were particularly noted on remittances and carry over balances on membership cards and bank balances, Biti said Most members of the Chawora executive contacted by SW Radio Africa welcomed the investigation of the finances because they are confident of being exonerated.
Some non-executive members quietly expressed reservations over the suspension, saying it was not necessary and that it was based on alleged reports from disgruntled members in the UK. Other members of the MDC said the enquiry was necessary to deal with issues at hand, once and for all. Concerns were raised about how the executive was handling our funds, so we need answers and Im glad the party has sent a team to look into this issue, one party activist said. Some reports suggest the financial irregularities under investigation were not the result of corruption, but more to do with the way the money was remitted to Harare. The financial report sent to Harare shows that about 60 000 was remitted to Harare for the 2008 elections and received by many different people, some in cash, other amounts in fuel coupons and payments for services.
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