Vendors4ED Fires Top Officials Over Alleged Fund Mismanagement

Vendors4ED has dismissed its national chairperson and secretary-general over alleged mismanagement and misuse of empowerment funds (image source)

HARARE — The Vendors for Economic Development (Vendors4ED) organisation has dismissed its National Chairperson Samora Chisvo and Secretary-General Brighton Kwinjo amid allegations of mismanaging the group’s revolving fund and misusing money allocated for organisational activities.

The dismissals were announced in a public notice issued by Vice National Chairperson Nyarai Simenti, who said the two officials were removed from office with effect from 10 December 2025. Simenti cited allegations of fund mismanagement, misuse and mishandling of organisational resources, as well as unilateral decision-making without consultation.

“The services of National Chairperson S. Chisvo and Secretary-General B. Kwinjo have been terminated due to mismanagement of the revolving fund, misuse and mishandling of funds allocated for organisational activities, and unilateral decision-making without consulting other team members or stakeholders,” Simenti said.

She added that their responsibilities had been reassigned and warned that anyone engaging with the dismissed officials on behalf of Vendors4ED would be doing so “at their own risk.”

In a separate notice, Simenti also announced the dismissal of Masvingo Provincial Chairperson Tsitsi Pande, effective 12 December 2025, citing similar allegations of fund mismanagement and unilateral decision-making.

Sources within the organisation allege that Chisvo received US$200,000 intended for distribution across 10 provinces, with each province allocated US$20,000, but instead shared the funds with associates, including members in Bulawayo and the organisation’s Bulawayo patron Tendai Charuka. Charuka is alleged to have used part of the funds to purchase a vehicle for his wife.

The same sources further allege that empowerment funds earmarked for Matabeleland South, Matabeleland North and Mashonaland East were diverted for personal use, with no intended beneficiaries receiving support despite being instructed to open bank accounts.

According to insiders, eight national executive members representing eight provinces agreed to expel Chisvo, Kwinjo, Pande and others implicated in the alleged abuse of the presidential empowerment fund. The executive reportedly replaced the expelled members with new office bearers with immediate effect.

“We want a clean association, not a corrupt one. Vendors4ED is the best mobilisation team in the nation, and we need sanity in the association,” a source said.

Eight provincial members, who also sit on the national structure, are also reported to have written to the ZANU-PF commissariat department calling for the expulsion of the three officials. The letter was received on 10 December.

The developments have reignited concerns over transparency and accountability in the management of empowerment funds, with observers warning that misuse of such resources undermines grassroots mobilisation efforts and erodes public trust in community-based organisations.