Rédaction Africa Links 24 with Zimeye
Published on 2024-03-16 16:29:30
Zanu PF has been accused of being responsible for the death of the late Bikita Chief Executive Officer, Peter Chibhi, who tragically took his own life last Monday. The circumstances surrounding his death have raised concerns and suspicions within the community and media outlets.
According to reports from Masvingo Mirror, Chibhi took his own life by ingesting poison shortly after attending a so-called Zanu PF kangaroo court, where he was summoned to address certain inquiries on that Saturday. The questions posed to him during the meeting included inquiries about the sale of stands on a Zanu PF Heroes’ Acre and at the Zanu PF Women’s League Hall at Nyika Growth Point. Additionally, he was questioned about his involvement with a private company called Hanyani, which he and the finance director purportedly established to conduct business with the council.
During the meeting, there was also mention of a negative council audit report that served as the basis for an investigation against senior council officials, including Chibhi. Following the meeting held at the council boardroom in Nyika Growth Point, Chibhi left in a hurry and purchased a bottle of poison on his way home. He deliberately left the receipt on a table at his residence and proceeded to another house he was constructing nearby, where he consumed the poison.
It was revealed that Chibhi was summoned to the meeting around noon by Kudakwashe Gopo, the Zanu PF district political commissar, and he duly attended. The meeting lasted approximately three hours, with notable figures from the party and local government present, including former Army general Englebert Rugeje, Bikita East MP Court Zevezanai, former Education Minister Gabriel Machinga, Senator Anna Rungani, Central Committee member Univester Mukwena, and Provincial member Simon Muchafa.
The presence of four chiefs and the Bikita RDC chairperson, along with five council committee chairpersons, further emphasized the significance and seriousness of the meeting. However, it remains unclear what authority Zanu PF has in summoning and interrogating a CEO of a local authority, whose reporting line typically runs through councillors and the Ministry of Local Government.
Despite claims from DCC chairperson Chamunorwa Taruona that Chibhi may have taken his life due to personal reasons, doubts and suspicions linger among those close to the deceased. Chibhi’s wife reportedly found him in distress after following a trail of suspicion, leading her to discover him in agony at a new construction site. He was rushed to Silveira Hospital and later transferred to Masvingo Provincial Hospital, where he sadly passed away in the early hours of Monday.
The circumstances surrounding Chibhi’s death have raised questions about the role of Zanu PF in local governance and the extent of their influence over council officials. As investigations continue and more details emerge, the community mourns the loss of a dedicated public servant and awaits justice for the tragic loss of life.
Read the original article on The Zimbabwe Eye
