CAMPFIRE manager faces court action

By Paul Nkala

From The Chronicle November 27, 2008



THE Tsholotsho Rural District Council CAMPFIRE manager, Mr Jericho Moyo, who is mired in controversy surrounding the awarding of timber tenders faces court action after he allegedly abused his authority at a safari camp in the district, it emerged yesterday.
According to documents in possession of Chronicle, lawyers representing Gariya Safaris in Tsholotsho south, James, Moyo-Majwabu and Nyoni Legal Practitioners, are demanding costs of the use of chalets and the manager’s quarters, food and drinks and the costs of laundering the linen used.
They also want damages sustained as a result of a professional hunter who cancelled his hunt and loss of business as a result of Mr Moyo’s conduct.
“We have been instructed to demand as we do hereby demand confirmation in writing delivered to our offices, that Mr Moyo will meet our client’s claims, and thereafter the only issue will be quantification of the damages.
“Should Mr Moyo decline to recede to our client’s demands, then our instructions are to issue summons against Mr Moyo without further recourse,†reads the letter from the lawyers.
On 22 September this year, at about 5.30 pm, Mr Moyo in the company of a game scout went to Gariya Safaris camp.
He told the staff present that he was on council business and wanted to check the living quarters for council game scouts when they conduct hunts in the camp.
He was escorted around the camp while he took some notes. Mr Moyo then requested food and he was given after, which he left.
Two days later, at about 7 pm, Mr Moyo returned to the camp in the company of a game scout, a man whom he introduced as a teacher at a nearby school and two women. The game scout disappeared from the camp.
Mr Moyo claimed that he was on CAMPFIRE business at a nearby school and that he had decided to spend the night at Gariya camp.
At the time of Mr Moyo’s arrival there was a professional hunter at the camp and he was advised of the hunter’s presence in the camp.
A Mr W Thomas advised Mr Moyo that his behaviour was unbecoming but he refused to listen.
Mr Moyo and his entourage were asked to vacate the dinning room so that the client would have his privacy.
After the meal, Mr Moyo demanded accommodation for his entourage in the clients’ chalets and on being told that this was not allowed he insisted on being offered accommodation.
Mr Moyo and his male colleague were offered the manager’s quarters while the two women were given a chalet.
It is their evidence that the following morning, one of the ladies was seen coming out of the manager’s quarters, which Mr Moyo was occupying.
They claim that the young woman was stopped a few steps from entering the chalet, which was being occupied by the professional hunter.
They say Mr Moyo woke up about 11.30 am and after breakfast and later lunch, he left with his entourage.
“Mr Japhet Dube, the cook has a list of all the food and drinks consumed which will have to be replaced before the next hunt. I have stripped the beds of the linen used by Mr Moyo and his entourage and its needs to be brought to town and laundered before the next hunt,†states the letter dated 14 October 2008.
The list includes tea bags, sugar, milk, biscuits, bottled water and a number of cooking ingredients.
The lawyers further state that when the professional hunter came to make his payment, he enquired as to who had brought women to his camp and referred to the camp as a brothel indicating that his reputation had been tarnished.
“He also complained that he had been deprived of his exclusive rights to the camp which he had paid for. The client (professional hunter) had earlier on expressed his wish to extend his hunt and possibly shoot more elephants. However, after this unfortunate episode he left the camp in disgust,†said the safari operators.
It is their contention that the events described above disclose acts of misconduct on the part of Mr Moyo as it amounts to abuse of office.
The letter was copied to the RDC Chief Executive Officer and states that this was formal complaint, which needed an investigation by the local authority, and necessary action be taken.
Mr Moyo and the acting CEO, Mr Sam Muleya have been cited in a court action brought about by a company which felt that the tender process for the Mpindo and Pumula concessions were fraught with irregularities as the two employees had been given gifts.
The gifts, the managing director of South South Investments (Pvt) Ltd, Mr Charles Mazibisa alleges were meant to influence the outcome of the tender process in favour of Durawood Products (Pvt) Ltd.
Durawood and another company, Jus Teak (Pvt) Ltd had reportedly been shortlisted as the companies that would harvest timber in the two concessions.
South South Investments was last Thursday granted a provisional order interdicting the holding a full meeting of the Tsholotsho RDC which was to endorse the deliberations of the tender committee that had listed the two companies.