Douglas Mombeshora

In the 2013 Elections, (see A History of Zimbabwean Elections) Mhangura returned to Parliament:

• Douglas Mombeshora of Zanu PF with 17 846 votes or 90.09 percent,
• Thomas Maseko of MDC–T with 1 659 votes or 8.37 percent,
• Tafadzwa Chiutsi of MDC–N with 304 votes or 1.53 percent,

Total 19 809 votes

In 2014 he was elected in the ZANU PF central committee in Mashonaland West province together with Philip Chiyangwa.^[4]

Mombeshora was the Minister of Lands and Rural Resettlement from 2013 to 2018.

Following the 23-24 August 2023 elections, President Emmerson Mnangagwa announced his new cabinet on 11 September 2023. The Minister of Health and Child Care was Douglas Mombeshora. ^[5]

Mombeshora Sports Tournament

Douglas Mombeshora is also involved in sport as he started the Mombeshora Sports Tournament in 2007. The tournament is held annually in Mhangura and involves ball games namely football, netball and volleyball. ^[6]

Controversy

Kingdom Bank Debt

The High Court of Zimbabwe ordered the sale of Mombeshora's Borrowdale house in a bid to repay a debt owed to Kingdom Bank in December 2013. Although the amount of the debt could not be established, the house was valued at over $300 000 according to estimates.^[1]

Save Conservancy

On 6 September 2014 - Zanu PF Save Valley ‘looters’ named

Senior Zanu PF officials and securocrats who were given concessions in the famed Save Valley Conservancy, in a move that has divided the party and invited fresh threats of sanctions against the country, have been exposed.

Walter Mzembi said handing out parts of conservancies to party activists was threatening the hosting of United Nations World Tourism Organisation General Assembly, for 2015, in Victoria Falls. According to documents with Newsday, those named:

• Walter Mzembi - Tourism Minister
• Francis Nhema - Environment Minister
• Lieutenant Colonel David Moyo
• Major General Gibson Mashingaidze
• Retired Colonel Claudius Makova
• Assistant Commissioner Connel Dube
• Masvingo Provincial Intelligence Officer Chibaya
• Major General Engelbert Rugeje
• Brigadier General Livingstone Chineka
• Higher Education minister Stan Mudenge
• Health deputy minister Douglas Mombeshora
• Zanu PF central committee member Enock Porusingazi, (See Zanu-PF Dirty Dozen)
• MP Ailess Baloyi
• MP Abraham Sithole
• MP Samson Mukanduri
• MP Noel Mandebvu
• MP Shuvai Mahofa
• MP Titus Maluleke
• MP Ronald Rundava

Others:

• ex-Tourism secretary Sylvester Maunganidze
• Nelson Mawema
• Farai Mukota
• Bertha Chikwama
• one Motokai
• Chief Gudo
• Chief Mundau Tshovani
• Chief Tafadzwa Ngarande
• Chief Ray Musimbwa
• Chief Grey Mushava
• Chief Josiah Pasi
• Chief Jeddy Jaboon
• Chief Gladman Chibememe
• Masvingo provincial administrator Felix Chikovo
• Tongai Muzenda - the late Vice-President Simon Muzenda’s son
• Elliot Takawira - believed to be related to the late former Zanu vice-president Leopold Takawira
• Joseph Chinotimba - war veterans’ leader

among others.
Chiredzi South MP Ailess Baloyi claimed he had been elected the new Save Valley Conservancy chairman. ^[7]

Suncrest Debt

In August 2015, Mombeshora was dragged to court by Crest Poultry Group which trades as Suncrest for failure to honour a grower agreement where he was supposed to rear chickens and supply them to the company. ^[8] Mombeshora was supplied with chicks’ food and chemicals for the birds and was supposed to grow the birds to an average weight of 1,8 kg at or in less than 42 days but he failed to supply the required amount of chickens to offset the supplied goods. Suncrest alleged that Mombeshora owed them $24 027 and that it was forced to take action after several concessions offered to the minister failed to secure a solution.^[9] The matter was referred to trial by High Court judge Nicholas Mathonsi after the holding of a pre-trail conference.^[9]

Worst Minister

According to a report released in August 2015 by the Research and Advocacy Unit (RAU) titled Occasional Visitors Re-Visited: Attendance in the First Session of the 8th Parliament of Zimbabwe, Mombeshora was named as one of ministers with the worst attendance record among ministers in the current Parliament.^[10] The report stated that he had an attendance record of 27% and was tied with Home Affairs Minister, Ignatius Chombo.^[10]

Farm Mechanisation Scheme

In July 2020, Douglas Mombeshora was listed, in the BSR of 18 July 2020, as a beneficiary in the 2007 RBZ Farm Mechanisation Scheme, as a result of the Fast Track Land Reform Programme.

The data is analysed by recipients origin:.

• Mashonaland provinces had the most beneficiaries, both in terms of numbers and value.
  

Mashonaland East got US$47,5 million,
Mashonaland West US$44,7 million
Mashonaland Central had US$34,2 million.

• Two Matebeleland provinces had a combined total of US$13,9 million.
• Masvingo US$26,4 million,
• Manicaland US$18 million
• Midlands US$14 million.

Douglas Mombeshora of Folkington Farm, and his wife, Millicent Mombeshora, who was a senior official at the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe, is listed under the thematic group “Politically Exposed Persons”. He received a loan of US$312,528.00. ^[11]

Land Dispute

It has been alleged that Douglas Mombeshora got involved in a land dispute with Manyame Rural District Councill and traditional leaders from Seke Communal lands.Sources revelead that the local authority drew some plans and submitted them to the Ministry of Local Government Public Works and National Housing who are said to have approved the plan and recommended some changes.However Mombeshora is reported to have gone to the same land and started distributing the land which left the councilors with no option but to confront the minister.^[12]

References