WAR Veterans minister and Makokoba legislator Tshinga Dube has been accused of failing to pay his election agents and parliamentary constituency information centre officers since April last year.
BY NQOBANI NDLOVU
On April 20 this year, the disgruntled former election agents and constituency information centre officers wrote to Dube reminding him of the outstanding payments.
They include Dube’s personal assistant Nothiwani Dlodlo, Thubelihle Sibanda (office secretary), Morewell Ndlovu (chief election agent) and Petros Beni, who offered campaign materials such as chairs and tents.
The War Veterans minister landed the Makokoba parliamentary seat following a by-election held in June last year after the recall of about 20 former MDC-T MPs.
The disgruntled agents and constituency workers accused Dube of abandoning them after winning the seat, but the Zanu PF legislator denied the charge yesterday, saying they were volunteers.
“That is not true. I used to send money through Dlodlo to pay the election agents and others for services rendered during the campaigns. I don’t know what has got into him because he is a young man with potential. I understand that he influenced others to write letters accusing me of such because they no longer want him in the parliamentary constituency office,” Dube said in a telephone interview yesterday.
“Besides, no-one is permanently employed at the parliamentary constituency office. They are volunteers and I used to give them some money in appreciation of their work.” But according to correspondence shown to NewsDay, the workers claimed Dube had promised them monthly stipends.
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In his complaint letter to Dube, Dlodlo said: “As you are aware that my relationship with you is not by constituency or party structures vote, but a financial contract. Our relationship is now like a marriage without sex, as I am working without my monthly salary, only small token of allowances. Sometimes you give me $20, sometimes $50 per month.
“You promised me a monthly salary and a car in July 2015 when we were at the Bulawayo swimming pool, when VP (Emmerson) Mnangagwa was handing over equipment for Africa Youth Games, but to date nothing has materialised.”
Sibanda also raised similar grievances, saying: “With due respect, I am requesting my monthly salaries of $200 monthly as promised. I have only received $100 for the past six months. I am a family woman and I find it very difficult to continue coming to work without my salary as I am supposed to pay for my rentals, buy food, transport costs and paying the maid for my son.”
Ndlovu wrote: “I had asked you to help me build my homestead in Ntabazinduna because I was given a stand there. You had said if I work hard and help you win the elections, you will help me soon after the elections. You won the elections and now you are a minister, but you said you don’t have money, but you have not forgotten your promise. It’s nearly 10 months now and I am still waiting.”
