Muhambi in serious grain scandal involving over 600 tonnes of maize

The Small to Medium Millers Association of Zimbabwe (SMMAZ) president David Muhambi has been accused of theft of trust property at Grain Marketing Board ( GMB) Nklumani.

According to GMB officials at Nklumani Muhambi converted over 600 tonnes of maize to his personal use.

“Sometime in 2020 we gave Muhambi over 600 tonnes of maize to do toll milling for us but instead he converted the maize to his own use, when quizzed about the missing maize the notorious Muhambi bribed his way to pay back,” revealed the source who declined to be named.

“Muhambi is still paying back GMB to date since the maize was then converted to a debt.”

Contacted for comment Muhambi was ballistic about the matter and threatened legal action against this publication.

“I will also urge you to seek facts before rushing to print these allegations. Failure to which, I will pursue you legally. I have also been told that part of your strategy is print your subjective biased story and state that you didn’t receive a response from me. Lets see,” said Muhambi.

However, Muhambi is not new to controversy as he is also accused of abusing government Roller Meal subsidy programme where he is said to have diverted subsidized mealie-meal to the black market.

Small-Scale Millers Association of Zimbabwe president Davis Muhambi has been fingered in the abuse of the government Roller Meal subsidy programme where he is said to have diverted subsidised mealie- meal to the black market..

Muhambi owns United Milling Company which is based in Bulawayo and was part of the government managed Roller Meal subsidy programme last year.

According to NewsDay, the corruption scam was revealed by disgruntled workers at Muhambi’s firm.

NewsDay reported that Muhambi owed local shops more than US$300 000 worth of roller meal which he failed to supply despite having accessed maize from GMB.

The government last year in March rolled out a roller meal subsidy programme where it prepaid millers to supply cheap maize meal to citizens throughout the country.

Millers, who participated in the programme accessed maize from GMB and got paid in advance for milling and distribution of mealie-meal by the Treasury.

There were, however, reports of the abuse of the facility by some millers who diverted the product to the black market and sold it in United States dollars.