Takudzwa Dzumbunu, A Harare Councillor, Fined US$300 For Lying She Has A Degree
Takudzwa Dzumbunu, chairperson for Works and Town Planning at Harare City Council, was on Tuesday fined US$300 or spend six months in prison for misleading the Commission of Inquiry about her academic qualifications.
The Commission, led by Retired High Court Judge Justice Maphios Cheda, reprimanded Dzumbunu after she retracted her claim of holding a Bachelor of Science Honours degree in Public Administration.
Dzumbunu could not produce the degree, which she initially claimed was from the University of Zimbabwe when she appeared before the Commission in October.
Justice Cheda ordered Dzumbunu to provide the academic qualification as evidence.
During further questioning by lead investigator Thabani Mpofu, Dzumbunu, a Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) councillor, admitted to lying about her qualifications. She said:
I thought I was going to get the certificates but I had failed one course and did not graduate.
My apologies for misleading the Commission. I thought I was going to get the certificates but it wasn’t going to be possible.
I have no justification for behaving the way that I did. I thought it was going to be an easy process to acquire my certificate but I should have just said that I haven’t acquired it yet.
In her previous appearance before the Commission, Dzumbunu was briefly detained at the old Makombe building after being found guilty of contempt.
The Commission of Inquiry has raised concerns about the qualifications and competence of some Harare City Council officials, revealing that several are underqualified for their positions.
Justice Cheda imposed a fine of U$300 on Dzumbunu for lying under oath. Said Cheda:
You have made an undertaking that you will not in the future deliberately lie or mislead or misrepresent facts in the manner before this commission of inquiry. In addition, you have offered an apology for your bad conduct and behaviour before this Commission.
You are sentenced to pay a fine of 300 or six months imprisonment which is wholly suspended for a period of five years on condition that during that period you do not contravene sections 12, 13 and 14 of the Commission of Inquiry Act.
This follows revelations that many Harare City Council committee chairpersons lack basic qualifications or relevant experience and fail to comprehend the demands of their roles.
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