By Innocent Mujeri

Movement for Democratic Change Alliance (MDC-A) Bulawayo women’s assembly chair Tendai Masotsha and a provincial member Linda Sibanda are  embroiled in a hospital bill scandal where they allegedly fleeced MDC-A members of their cash purporting that the money was meant for Sibanda’s medical bills, Harare Post reports.

A source in the MDC-A circle who preferred anonymity, revealed to this publication that Sibanda is allegedly suffering from cervical cancer and was charged ZWL 1 200.00 for the operation at a local hospital. She approached Masotsha for assistance and together they devised a plan to fleece the unsuspecting MDC-A members.

Masotsha and Sibanda misrepresented to the MDC-A loyalists that USD 1 200.00 was needed for the operation instead of ZWL 1 200.00.

A message soliciting for donations towards the operation was circulated by Masotsha to MDC-A members and a lot of members responded positively.

In a bid to hoodwink the well-wishers to donate towards Sibanda’s cause, Masotsha lied that she had contributed USD 500.00 as no such donation was ever made.

Responding to Masotsha’s message of appeal for donations, MDC-A vice President Professor Welshman Ncube, a Dr Ruth Labode and Dr Bekithemba Mpofu contributed USD 500.00 each.

Other members who couldn’t afford US dollars were instructed to donate through Ecocash using Sibanda’s Econet number 077423741.

The funds contributed by well-wishers exceeded the amount needed for Sibanda’s operation and the two converted it to their own use.

Sibanda is yet to go for the operation and was seen beer binging in a Bulawayo bar, allegedly using the money she got from the donations.

Efforts to get comment from Masotsha and Sibanda were unsuccessful as their phones went unanswered.