MSF implicated in political activities, four expelled

Beitbridge Bureau
THE Beitbridge district administrator has chased away four people employed by Medecins Sans Frontieres (Doctors without borders) for engaging in political activities following the discovery of subversive material. The council also discovered
minutes from a strategic meeting they held at their office early last month convened by Hanna Mari Majenen, project co-ordinator (Finland), Alexandro Arantegui Gracia (Spain), project co-ordinator, Trevor Mashingaidze (Logisticians) and the finance administrator Nokuthula Sibanda.
The acting district administrator for Beitbridge Mr Peter Moyo confirmed that the quartet’s services were no longer required as a result of their bad conduct.
“We held a meeting on Wednesday with the four and other stakeholders including all non-governmental organisations operating in the district where we reached a conclusion that they were acting in bad faith and that their services be terminated with immediate effect,” said Mr Moyo.
The four, he said, held a political meeting on June 13 at their offices.
Mr Moyo added that during their meeting (the four) discussed issues including the new Constitution of Zimbabwe, the harmonised elections and alleged intimidation of members of the public by the police.
They also discussed how best they could use medical assistance to access politically strategic areas among other issues which all fall outside their mandate and memorandum of understanding with Government to complement health intervention programmes.
“They also had flip charts and other documents which they would use to implement their programme and also facilitate the inclusion of workers in opposition political parties’ rallies and other activities,” said Mr Moyo.
He said they had also compiled a report on the stakeholders meeting where it was agreed that the four be expelled from the district.
Mr Moyo also issued a strong warning to all NGOs operating in the district which he said should focus mainly on the activities outlined in their MoU rather than poking their noses in the country’s political activities since it was not their primary objective.
He said those who would want to follow the same route would find themselves in murky waters.
A copy of the report culminating in Majenen and company’s expulsion stated that: “Concern is however, raised especially to the four that are engaged in questionable activities which subvert the country and district security pursuing systematic operations at the behest of hostile individuals not MSF Spain in its entirety as an organisation.
“These directly contrast the agreement drawn between MSF Spain and the Zimbabwean Government, specifically the Ministry of Health and Child Welfare and the Beitbridge district administrator which binds the organisation to activities on health matters and not political activities as was discovered by the police on 21 June.
Police officer commanding Matabeleland South province Senior Assistant Commissioner Goodwill Musariri said the police would not tolerate individuals who break the law willy-nilly. He also warned other people involved in similar activities that they would face the full wrath of the law.
“It is very important for people to respect the laws of this country and as police we will remain resolute. We suspect these people, were abusing the trust between them and their hosts and decided to out-step from their mandate,” he said.
MSF inter-sectional spokesman Mr Kim Stambuli could neither deny nor confirm the allegations yesterday.
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