A damning parliamentary audit into the Constituency Development Fund (CDF) in Chiredzi West has unearthed a shocking trail of financial irregularities, missing documentation, and the blatant use of a legislator’s personal bank account to handle public funds.
The investigation, which has sent shockwaves through Masvingo Province, suggests a deeper crisis of accountability, opening a “can of worms” regarding how development money meant for schools and clinics is being policed.
Public Funds in Private Pockets?
At the heart of the scandal is the revelation that Honourable Darlington Chiwa, the MP for Chiredzi West, reportedly transferred the constituency’s entire allocation of ZWG1,332,430 (approx. US$50,000) into his personal bank account.
While Chiwa claimed the move was to “facilitate swipe transactions,” auditors flagged the move as a high-risk breach of protocol. The move was executed without the mandatory approval of the CDF Management Committee, effectively turning public development capital into a private cash pool.
The Vanishing ZWG204,000
The audit, conducted between October 21 and 24, 2025, revealed a massive ZWG204,091.69 variance that remains entirely unsupported by receipts or invoices. This “black hole” in the books has raised red flags about potential embezzlement.
Key discrepancies highlighted in the audit include:
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Unverified Labour Costs: Chiwa claimed to have paid US$1,500 for carpentry and US$600 for plastering, yet failed to produce a single shred of evidence or signed vouchers to prove the money reached the workers.
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Missing Materials: At Batanai Primary School, auditors found angle iron bars on-site with zero paper trail to account for their purchase.
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Ghost Infrastructure: At Monyoroka Primary School, only 10 out of 16 promised ZESA poles were delivered, despite funds being disbursed for the full electrification project.
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Administrative Leakages: Over ZWG66,000 designated for administration costs could not be properly accounted for, with only a fraction of the spending backed by records.
Political Infighting or Petty Theft?
When confronted with the audit findings, Hon. Chiwa struck a defiant tone, dismissing the report as a “witch-hunt” orchestrated by rivals within ZANU-PF.
“Beware of some elements within our party who are bent on causing divisions, whilst harbouring succession aspirations through coming up with non-existent criminal allegations,” Chiwa told ZiMetro News.
However, his claims of having forwarded “supporting evidence” to Parliament appear to contradict the Auditor General’s report, which explicitly states that the variance remains unverified.
The Silence of the Province
Attempts to get clarity from ZANU-PF Masvingo provincial chairperson Robson Mavhenyengwa proved futile, as he consistently avoided questions regarding the audit. This wall of silence from provincial leadership has only added fuel to the fire, with local residents demanding to know why their development funds are being managed like a personal tuckshop.
The Chiredzi West scandal exposes a glaring loophole in the CDF framework: the ability of individuals to bypass committee oversight with impunity. The audit has recommended an immediate cessation of using personal accounts and a full forensic reconciliation of all project materials.
As the Clerk of Parliament and the Auditor General review the report, the people of Chiredzi West are left staring at half-finished projects and a paper trail that leads directly to a private bank account.
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