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Zimstat director general Mahonde in corruption storm, accused of abusing office 

Harare- THE director general of Zimstats Taguma Mahonde is accused of fleecing the organisation millions of dollars through maladministration and wanton abuse of office, Express Mail Zim can reveal. 

 

In a dossier gleaned by this publication, Mahonde is alleged to have taken four donated vehicles from Zimstats for personal use and uses private drivers. 

 

Express Mail Zim had sight of the vehicles and registration plates. In the letter of complaint by disgruntled employees ,it is alleged that Mahonde is working in cahoots with the finance director and enumerators are yet to be paid to date. 

 

“Millions of dollars were lost through hiring a consultant to do a job evaluation exercise which was not implemented because recommendations were not favourable to Mahonde and his cartel. 

 

This is abuse of public funds as provided for by Section 85 (1) (b) of the Public Finance Management Act Chapter 22.19,”read part of the communique.

 

It is further alleged that funds are lying idle in the agency bank account losing value at the expense of enumerators and institutions who have not been paid for their role and services. The institutions and enumerators payments are pegged in United States Dollars,  but the Finance Director is alleged to have manipulated the system violating Exchange Control Regulations.

 

Mahonde is also alleged  to have ordered an  illegal transfer, and dismissal of employees deemed to be against him. The Agency management also stands accused of pocketing money from purchase of airtime from Econet at inflated figures and lack of accountability on the tablets that were used during the census period.

 

Mahonde could neither confirm nor deny the allegations when contacted for comment.  

 

“I can’t comment just to advise that the author of that paper is now known,”he said amid reports that he has launched a witch hunt and victimising  suspected disgruntled staffers

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