By Fanuel Chinowaita
Honde Valley – Sagambe Primary School headmaster, Mr. Evans Mwaturura, has been transferred from the school following a prolonged and contentious joint effort involving parents, community leaders, education officials, and stakeholders.
The decision comes after a decade-long saga of alleged embezzlement of school funds and the suppression of parental dissent through fabricated legal charges.
The community has expressed relief at Mr. Mwaturura’s removal, marking the end of a turbulent chapter characterized by mistrust and financial mismanagement. “We are happy that Mr. Mwaturura has finally been transferred after years of struggle,” said an anonymous parent. “The school was sinking, and our children’s futures were at stake.”
The controversy dates back to allegations that Mr. Mwaturura and his administration were involved in a syndicate misappropriating school funds. Parents who raised concerns were dragged to court on fabricated charges of disorderly conduct.
Two groups of parents faced prosecution at the Mutasa Magistrates Court, but both were acquitted—one after a full trial and the other following an Application for Early Acquittal and Discharge.
The situation escalated to the point where parents refused to pay school fees, citing the mismanagement of funds. “It was like putting our hard-earned money into a bag with holes,” one parent remarked. School projects, including a tea plantation, banana plantation, and fishery, ground to a halt, further exacerbating the crisis.
The intervention of the Chief Director of Education, Mrs. Kaira, and the Provincial Education Director for Manicaland, Mr. Gabaza, proved pivotal.
Their involvement followed a petition from parents requesting an emergency audit. However, the District Schools Inspector (DSI), Mrs. Mlambo, stationed at Watsomba Education Offices, was accused of siding with the headmaster and ignoring parental pleas. “Like Pharaoh, she remained adamant and inconsiderate,” the statement read.
The saga also implicated Mr. Thomas Tombo, a senior teacher at the school, who is now seen as the mastermind behind the financial mismanagement. Auditors from the Provincial Office of Education discovered that Mr. Tombo, who is not authorized to be a bank signatory under SI 87/1992, had made unauthorized withdrawals during school holidays.
He was also accused of diverting funds from a donor program meant for indigenous potted trees into his personal Mukuru account.
Further allegations include the sale of BEAM forms to disadvantaged parents at USD$1 each, despite the program not being officially initiated for 2024. Mr. Tombo’s children were also found to be benefiting from the BEAM program, despite his status as a government-employed teacher.
Parents have also accused Mr. Tombo of abusing school property, including the school date stamp and academic progress report books, for personal gain at a private, unregistered school.
His conduct has sparked outrage, with parents demanding his immediate transfer. “As long as Tombo is at the school, we will not pay fees,” declared one parent.
The community has called for Mr. Tombo’s removal before the next Annual General Meeting (AGM), scheduled for 26 February 2025. The meeting is expected to address the remaining challenges at the school and chart a way forward for restoring trust and accountability.
The statement concluded with a plea for transparency and justice: “We call for the DSI to transfer Mr. Tombo before the AGM. He must go for the sake of our children and the future of Sagambe Primary School.”
As the community looks to rebuild, the focus remains on ensuring that the school’s resources are managed responsibly and that the voices of parents and stakeholders are heard.
Your writing has a softness to it that invites reflection, offering space for deeper thought.