As the Zimbabwe Red Cross Society elections rigging is far from being solved more and more embarrassing issues that occurred during the Edson Mlambo led Board and the leadership of the Secretary General (CEO) Elias Hwenga continue to hog the limelight, not for commendable humanitarian work but for all the wrong, sad,unethical, demeaning and pitiable reasons.
Inside sources say the Human Resources and Administration Director Mr. Gershom Hombarume was fired by the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (Zimra) in 2005. He was among 7 Zimra officers who were fired after they had been arrested for smuggling and externalisation of foreign currency under Operation Integrity in Beitbridge. He was sentenced to 4 months in prison or alternatively pay $10 million dollars.
No due diligence was done by the current Secreatary General,Mr. Hwenga, who was then the Human Resources and Administration Director when Mr. Hombarume was employed. They are said to be very close friends.
Also fired was Mr. Robert Chikuku,the current Zimbabwe Red Cross Society provincial accountant for Matebeleland South and Masvingo.
It is alleged that Hombarume was also accused of sexual harassment of a number of female employees at the Beitbridge boarder post.
Impeccable sources say he left his family in Highfield township,Harare and married the Zimbabwe Red Cross Society Finance Director Ms. Pedzi Mukora. What does this mean in terms of decision making at the organisation? Most of the decisions are most likely done in the bedroom.
It is also alleged that he is in love with the then Salaries Officer Angeline Manyisa at the ZRCS headquarters. She is now the (NSD) National Society Development Officer at the same station.
Sources say when Manyisa’s father passed away last year, 2024 (May His Dear Soul Rest In Eternal Peace),Hombarume dispatched three Red Cross vehicles, fueled by the organisation’s coupons to the funeral. It’s understood that such benefits are not accorded to other employees as they are told its not Red Cross policy to provide such assistance.
The Zimbabwe Red Cross Society has a policy against sexual abuse, known as “Prevention of Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (PSEA)” policy, which aligns with the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) standards, stating a zero-tolerance approach to any form of sexual exploitation and abuse, ensuring thorough reporting mechanisms and support for survivors if any incidents occur; this policy includes training for all staff and volunteers on PSEA awareness and proper response procedures.
It is alleged the Secretary General Mr. Elias Hwenga allows this exploitation, obviously because he can’t discipline a junior officer when he has a lot of rotten bones in his cupboard.
It is said that even before Hombarume got married to Pedzi, he recommended that she be bought a new automatic transmission vehicle because she had difficulty driving manual vehicles. She was then bought a Havaal vehicle, Registration No. from Zimoco for a staggering US$38 000,00 on 6 April, 2023. No comparative bid analysis was done for the purchase of this vehicle as required by the procedures of the Zimbabwe Red Cross Society.
It is also said that most of the female employees whose contracts were not renewed in 2025 had turned down Hombarume’s sexual advances. Unfortunately, they have nowhere to report the abuse because it is Hombarume who is in charge of implementing the policy. What a sad situation for the female employees in this humanitarian organisation? How safe are the female employees, married and unmarried from this untamed predator?
How does the Zimbabwe Red Cross Society, a humanitarian organisation allow female employees to be exposed to a man of such loose morals, how safe are the needy and vulnerable female members of the communities in which the organisation operates? How low is this once credible humanitarian organisation going to sink?
Contacted for comment Hombarume said those were unfounded allegations and threatened to sue this publication