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WOZA responds to allegations of fraud in Zvishavane
Women of Zimbabwe Arise (WOZA)
March 09, 2010

WOZA leadership would like to take the opportunity to respond to reports in the media that members of its leadership have been involved in fraud in Zvishavane. On 15th February 2010, information reached Jenni Williams, WOZA's National Coordinator that members in Zvishavane had been paying a monthly subscription fee of US1 to a self-appointed committee through its self-appointed coordinator, Adams Samson. Harare members who were facilitating a workshop in Zvishavane at the time verified this.

Williams immediately traveled to Zvishavane to meet with some of the 'committee members' who in turn advised that Samson had told them this was a directive from the National Coordinator. Williams advised them that this was a misrepresentation. Initial meetings had been conducted on 16 and 17 November 2009 and facilitators conducted official recruitment. These procedures entail a signing of a 'sisterhood bond' and completing of a membership counterfoil whereupon the membership card is given to the member. WOZA does not charge a membership fee.

A further meeting with more committee members was set up for 17 February 2010. An interview with the 'Treasurer' Jane Chitumba and a study of accounting records also confirmed the fraud. When asked to explain where the money collected was or explain how it had been used, the treasurer said she said this book was in the hands of Adams Samson. She also explained that he had used money to travel to Bulawayo at least three times a week on so called official WOZA business. She could not produce evidence of this and as he had not been called to Bulawayo by WOZA on any occasion, expenditure could not be accounted for. No clear accounting procedure or receipting process for subscriptions was presented. Additionally there was a list of people who had opened bank accounts and when asked, it was explained that WOZA wanted accounts opened so that members would be given money in their accounts for income generating projects. Committee members were asked why they had not telephoned Williams to verify but they answered by saying that Samson had told them they could not call directly.

The committee, including the Treasurer and Williams proceeded to the Zimbabwe Republic Police to report the matter. Case number RRB 0726519 refers. The complaint made by Jenni Williams as National Coordinator is that Adams Samson, a self-appointed coordinator, had misrepresented WOZA membership procedures by making people pay a monthly subscription. It was estimated that 800 members had been paying a monthly subscription and according to the 'policy' people had to back pay to August which they determined as their date when they started their 'branch' of WOZA.

1. WOZA is aware of members recruited in a series of meetings in November 2009 and workshops in January and February by direction of the National Coordinator.

2. WOZA does not and has never charged a joining fee, subscription or payment for membership.

3. WOZA wishes to make it categorically clear that there is and has never been a formal structure in Zvishavane and neither did WOZA call for the formation of a committee nor engage anyone to represent WOZA in Zvishavane. WOZA has ordinary members countrywide who trained as human rights defenders and work shopped on various subjects. Only once the national leadership is confident that members have a solid grounding in the defence of human rights, is a structure formed and once in place national leaders preside over the election of an interim leadership awaiting confirmation from the annual congress where elections for leaders are held.

4. WOZA pray the Zimbabwe Republic Police secure the arrest and prosecution of Adams Samson and any accomplices they discover have a case to answer. WOZA also request that the police act professionally and refrain from allowing this matter to be subject to propaganda or to be politicised. It was not easy for WOZA leaders after the harassment they suffered at the hands of the police to make this report and to insist the police open a docket after they refused. We make this request as we note the matter covered in The Midlands edition of The Chronicle of 5 March 2010 quoting a 'police spokesman' misrepresenting and sensationalising the matter before them.

5. WOZA call on victims of this fraud to cooperate with the investigating officer, Detective Sergeant Moyo based at CID Zvishavane so that them matter can be swiftly prosecuted.

6. WOZA advise members who were told to open bank accounts that they have never promised to deposit funds for income generating projects. This was a false promise manufactured by Adams Samson to hook people into paying subscriptions, which he could convert to his own use.

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