Crisis coalition deny crisis at SA office

By Lance Guma
09 November 2007

The Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition (SA Chapter) has denied media reports that its office is closing down following a withdrawal of funding by donors. Nixon Nyikadzino an advocacy officer with the group says the office will remain open despite a restructuring exercise that carried out an evaluation of both its projects and personnel. A report in the Zimbabwe Times website said Media Manager Elinor Sisulu, Coordinator Reverend Nicholas Mkaronda, Advocacy Manager Emmanuel Hlabangane, Projects Officer Sifiso Dube and secretary Precious Dube had all been retrenched.

The website however linked this to allegations that the office was being used to launch a new political party and was undermining the MDC in the process. Nyikadzino said a group of people who are eager to start up their own project are feeding the reports and view the coalition as a stumbling block. He went as far as pinpointing the journalist who wrote the story saying he was an interested party in the proceedings. Asked to explain the departure of staff from the coalition Nyikadzino said all those leaving had done so by mutual consent and had no qualms with the restructuring.

Crisis Coalition in Zimbabwe coordinator Jacob Mafume told the Zimbabwe Times that reports of financial irregularities were untrue and that the office had simply run out of projects. ‘I would like to place it on record that the office is open and will remain open, we are restructuring only to deal with some problems and some of our staff have left the office because of other commitments. Crisis is a critical component in the fight for a democratic Zimbabwe, and therefore has many enemies working against it. These rumours are their work,” Mafume said.

Meanwhile the Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition ‘Rock the Vote’ concert moves to Bulawayo on Saturday. The cream of Zimbabwean music artists will be performing at the White City arena while promoting the group’s voter education campaign. Programmes Manager Pedzisai Ruhanya said they were taking the concerts to all parts of the country in the run up to elections next year.

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