Chiredzi South MP Joel Sithole arrested over ZiG1.2m CDF abuse allegations
- Southerton Business Times
- 3 hours ago
- 2 min read
HARARE – Chiredzi South legislator Joel Sithole has been arrested by the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC) on allegations of abusing public funds under the Constituency Development Fund (CDF).
ZACC confirmed the arrest, saying Sithole allegedly misappropriated ZiG1,234,150 (approximately US$50,000) disbursed by the Parliament of Zimbabwe in August 2025. The funds were earmarked for community development projects in Chiredzi South, including the construction of a classroom block and the roofing of staff houses at Gwaseche Primary School and Makanani Clinic.
According to investigators, Sithole, who chairs the local CDF committee and is a signatory to its bank account, allegedly diverted the funds shortly after receiving them. ZACC alleges that Sithole, acting in common purpose with an accomplice identified as Edson Chauke, who remains at large, transferred ZiG850,000 from the CDF account to a local wholesaler under the pretext of purchasing groceries.
Further investigations reportedly revealed that an additional ZiG418,516 was spent at grocery outlets, hotels, and beer halls. To conceal the alleged misuse of funds, Sithole is said to have later purchased 100 bags of cement and a limited quantity of roofing sheets for another school in an attempt to create the impression that development work had begun.
Anti-corruption experts say such cases highlight persistent challenges in monitoring the use of devolved funds.
“CDF resources are meant for visible, community-driven projects,” said Harare-based governance analyst Tendai Moyo. “Weak oversight creates opportunities for abuse.”
Sithole is expected to appear before the Masvingo Magistrates Court on March 26, 2026, where he will face charges related to criminal abuse of office.
The case adds to a growing list of investigations involving the misuse of CDF allocations, which are designed to support grassroots development projects managed by constituency-level committees. Authorities have intensified scrutiny of public officials amid calls for greater accountability and transparency in the handling of taxpayer-funded programmes.
Joel Sithole arrest; ZACC CDF corruption case
Comments