Umguza ZANU PF MP blocks mortuary refurbishment

By Lance Guma
08 October 2008

Fresh from being accused of diverting food aid meant for starving villagers, the former governor for Matabeleland North and MP for Umguza, Obert Mpofu, is being blamed for the pungent smell that is emanating from the Nyamandlovu District Hospital mortuary. Two years ago Mpofu blocked donors from the Netherlands who wanted to refurbish the cold room at the hospital, accusing them of being MDC sympathizers who wanted to campaign for the party.

A local white farmer recently offered to help repair the mortuary but was also promptly told he was an MDC supporter by Mpofu. Another local farmer Japhet Mpofu, a former bodyguard to the late nationalist Joshua Nkomo, was also blocked from helping the hospital, again being branded an MDC supporter.

For 3 weeks the body of Shadreck Ncube has been rotting inside the mortuary, delivering a pungent smell to a nearby primary school and soccer field. According to our correspondent Lionel Saungweme what has infuriated locals even more is that Mpofu’s wife visited the hospital a few days ago, and refused to go anywhere near the mortuary.

The deceased Ncube cannot be buried because his relatives have either not yet been informed or none of them have come to claim the body. Saungweme explained that it was mostly likely he was not from the area and was just visiting, or in transit to somewhere else when he died. The mortuary is still in use by the hospital but because relatives quickly claim the bodies of their loved ones, the issue of decomposing bodies rarely arises.

On Tuesday we reported how Mpofu was diverting food aid meant for starving villagers and selling it on the black market or bartering it for cattle in his constituency. He is alleged to be at the heart of a syndicate overseen by the ward 13 councillor in his constituency, Ernest Sibanda. Evidence emerged that truckloads of maize from the Grain Marketing Board were being diverted to Sibanda’s homestead.

During the March elections a truck carrying 30 tonnes of maize disappeared in the province and follow up investigations by a government task force of the CIO, police and ZANU PF officials led to the doorsteps of Sibanda. He was found in possession of the stolen maize and Mpofu blocked the authorities from taking any action against him.