By Correspondent
Former Bikita Rural District Council (RDC) Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Peter Chibhi who committed suicide this month was allegedly facing corruption allegations.
Chibhi committed suicide after a stormy meeting that was convened by the ZANU PF District Coordinating Committee (DCC).
The meeting agenda centred on the 2022 Auditor General’s Report released by the Ministry of Local Government and Public Works.
Chain of Events
Chibhi returned from the Bulawayo CEO meeting and was then summoned to the ZANU-PF meeting.
Sources said it was stormy with clear hostilities.
ZANU PF District Coordinating Committee (DCC) and senior party members allegedly bayed for Chibhi’s blood for mismanaging council funds.
Chibhi then stormed out of the meeting in a huff.
He later consumed poisonous substance that later took his life.
Relatives rushed him to Silveira Mission Hospital before he was transferred to Masvingo General Hospital.
He passed away in the early hours of the morning.
However, Bikita RDC Chairperson Clr Moses Mataga said nothing bad was discussed at the meeting.
Corruption History
Chibhi made the headlines last year when he was embroiled in a corruption storm.
This was after Bikita RDC procured 6 top of the range vehicles for the RDC’s managers.
The vehicles were then registered in their personal names.
At the meeting Chibhi was allegedly pressured to reveal why he created a company called Hanyanya Private limited.
The company was contracted by Bikita RDC to offer services to the local authority.
Hanyanya was also accused of siphoning money from council while workers went for six months without salaries.
The ZANU PF officials allegedly told Chibhi to put all Hanyanya workers under Bikita RDC.
He was also ordered to settle their outstanding salaries out of his own pocket.
Chibhi was buried at his village home in Chemvumi village under chief Mkanganwi in Bikita.