One of the warring sides in the protracted feud within veterans of the liberation war-run company Zvimba East Veterans Investment Company (Zevic) has committed to steps towards a negotiating forum and engaging in a peace process.
Stakeholders attending a meeting convened by the Zevic management in Harare last Friday agreed that despite opposing parties' sharp differences, achieving peace required engaging in negotiations with adversaries, regardless of how reprehensible they might be.
Zevic, which is involved in property development and agriculture, is embroiled in controversy and its directors and shareholders are unable to disentangle themselves, failing to exercise good governance.
Stakeholders said good governance within Zevic ensures that peace lasts by addressing root causes of tension.
This publication gathered that the chaos at Zevic was being caused by divisions within associations representing veterans of the liberation struggle.
Counter accusations have taken the centre stage at the company.
“We want the warring parties to engage in dialogue for progress's sake,” said Rhodson Nyandoro, Porta Farm stakeholders’ board chairperson.
“We strongly support the projects being done by Zevic, but we believe that these can only be progress if the directors of the company are united.”
Zevic is involved in an ambitious housing project that will see the development of more than 5 000 housing units in Porta Nharire, Lumanda and Penrose Chitangazuva in Zvimba district.
The long awaited update on the status of the projects was also shared among stakeholders.
“Lumanda site is now a work in progress and as Zevic, a war veterans company, we are following all requirements and procedures with due diligence,” said Israel Gada, Zevic operations and projects director..
“We have engaged a consultant who is doing everything as they are tasked to work with the veterans of the liberation struggle.
“Documents for Porta Nharire and Penrose Chitangazuva sites are available and the current regularisation process has shown that the project is in safe hands.”
Gada assured stakeholders that they were engaging authorities to make sure that the projects are regularised.
Stakeholders urged the warring parties to bury their hatchet.
Three Zevic directors and shareholders namely Douglas Mandaza, Clifford Rutsate and Jowel Samuel Muzhamba as well as an employee Michael Changadzo were arrested on January 31 this year and appeared in court for fraud.
The four are out on bail.
An internal audit also exposed unprecedented grand scale looting of public funds by the directors and employees, including misappropriation of US$100 000 between June and August 2023 where they allegedly stashed the money in a fridge belonging to Changadzo.
Zivec had to restructure and retired major Joe Chimonyo took over as the CEO in a new set up that had Mashonaland West war veterans chairperson Cornelius Muoni retain his post as patron of the war veterans company.
The company will hold an annual general meeting on December 20 in Harare.