Banda Promised a CoS to Mpopoma School Head
More details have emerged over the arrest of Gift Banda, a ZIFA presidential candidate, who was arrested on Thursday in Bulawayo over allegations of forging an Ordinary Level (O’ Level) certificate.
As part of the alleged scheme, Banda reportedly promised the headmistress of his alma mater a Certificate of Sponsorship (COS) to secure a job in the United Kingdom, along with covering travel costs.
The allegations stem from ZIFA’s newly introduced election requirements, which mandate candidates to have at least five O’ Level passes.
Banda’s arrest follows a review of his documents, where discrepancies were uncovered.
Banda is a former ZIFA vice president and alleged beneficial owner of Tendy Tree Investments (TTI), the company which manages the parking for the city of Bulawayo.
He allegedly collaborated with a known forger, Anele Zikhali, to produce a fake O’ Level certificate.
The certificate purportedly showed that Banda passed seven subjects at Mpopoma High School in 1986.
Banda Promised a CoS to Mpopoma School Head
To strengthen the credibility of the fraudulent document, Banda allegedly approached the headmistress of the school.
In exchange for filing the certificate into the school’s 1986 records, he is said to have promised to assist her child in obtaining a COS for employment in the UK.
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He also allegedly promised to foot her travel and relocation costs.
However, the scheme was exposed when it was noted that the certificate referenced ZIMSEC examinations, which were not introduced until ten years later, in 1996.
This glaring inconsistency highlighted the forgery and led to Banda’s arrest.
Other candidates in the running include Sakunda Holdings project manager Nqobile Magwizi, CAPS United president Farai Jere, businessman Gilbert Muponda, and UK-based entrepreneur Marshall Gore.
