SYDNEY MUBAIWA
MASVINGO-Parents in Masvingo Province have raised a red flag over the relationship between the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education’s Permanent Secretary, Moses Mhike and Provincial Education Director, Shylatte Mhike.
Shylatte Mhike is allegedly married to another Mhike a blood brother to Moses Mhike.
The relationship is compromising her duties as she is allegedly being treated with kid gloves despite a petition by parents for her to step aside or be suspended to allow investigations into her alleged double dipping cases at the provincial headquarters involving Better Schools Programme Zimbabwe funds.
Recently Shylatte Mhike was arrested by Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission for alleged criminal abuse of office involving funds and parents in Masvingo petitioned Moses Mhike to suspend her to pave way for proper investigations.
However, some parents are fighting from her corner arguing that ZACC should not send a half backed docket to court only for investigations to commence after the arrest of suspects.
“What type of policing is that? ZACC should not arrest to embarrass and then start investigations after arrest, instead ZACC should do a thorough job then go on to arrest suspects.
“ZACC is wasting public funds by going back and forth to court only for the cases to be thrown out or swept under the carpet for lack of evidence. Approach the courts with water tight cases otherwise the public will lose confidence in ZACC. Some are already alleging that this is just persecution for personal reasons due to personal differences, emanating from the time when these people were teachers at the same schools before being promoted,” fumed one parent who declined to be named for professional reasons.
“We write to your attention the concerns shared by Masvingo residents concerning the conduct of Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education Masvingo Province Directorate and some District Schools Inspectors regarding the abuse of public funds from our contributions derived from BSPZ affiliations…,” reads part of the petition.
The petition also stated that the PED is related to the Permanent Secretary who is a brother to her husband.
They argued that lack of audit independence during the investigation process will jeopardise the whole process.
“Mr Mhike M, the Permanent Secretary’s brother Charles Mhike is the husband to Masvingo Provincial Education Director Shylatte Mhike. Mr Mhike, the Permanent Secretary should set an audit team to investigate his brother’s wife. We therefore note that, there is lack of audit independence and the public will be made stupid (sic) because the fact that in the first audit exercise, auditors deliberately decided to sweep the issues under the carpet.
“We humbly request that the Permanent Secretary request auditors from either the Auditor General’s Office or set a team of auditors from other ministries who have no direct interference with the Permanent Secretary…,” further reads the petition.
The PED who is charged together with Finance Director Liniah Chinoda is facing corruption allegations and the two are still reporting for duty.
According to the Public Service Commission (PSC) Regulations Section 48 (d) , a disciplinary procedure should be taken to suspend any member from service if there are any allegations of misconduct of suspected criminality so that the member does not interfere with the investigation process.
In an interview with The Midweek Watch, Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education Spokesperson Taungana Ndoro said he cannot give a comment to the issue at the moment arguing that it was before the courts.
According to court records, it is alleged that Shylatte Mhike made a false Travel and Subsistence (T and S) allowance amounting to US$600.
Further allegations are that, the PED also claimed ZWL10 million and US$441 as T and S from Chiredzi district.
Reports revealed that she just collected the money but could not visit the district.
Her accomplice Chinoda is accused of having unprocedurally received ZWL 10 million and US$800 as disturbance allowances.
