Ambassador embroiled in sex scandal

MDC-T official Mr Felix Machiridza whom she reportedly lured to Canberra when she was posted there last year.

Mr Machiridza alleges that Ambassador Zwambila would call him to her room at night to serve her with drinks while she was “half-na ked”.
He further alleges that she forced him to live in a garage for almost a year after he refused to occupy a bedroom on the same floor as hers.

Mr Machiridza now claims he has been dumped and has neither received the promised job nor other incentives because he refused to “bend to her seduction” antics.
“I am almost certain that my abuse by Ms Zwambila was retribution for refusing to bend to her seduction,” Mr Machiridza said.

AMBASSADOR ZWAMBILA

The dispute has resulted in Mr Machiridza lodging a complaint with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Australian Human Rights Commission for recourse.
Foreign Affairs Secretary Ambassador Joey Bimha yesterday confirmed receiving the report and said investigations were already under- way.

“We received a report with regards to that and we are currently studying the report.
“We will ask for a report from Ambassador Zwambila as well – then we will make a determination,” Ambassador Bimha said.

In an e-mailed report to The Herald on Monday, Mr Machiridza alleged that he was promised a lucrative job in Australia by Ambassador Zwambila that never materialised.
He said Ambassador Zwambila shortchanged him soon after arrival in Canberra when she assigned him as her personal butler for two years.

Mr Machiridza further claimed that he had suffered a lot of abuse and harassment at the hands of Ambassador Zwambila.
“When Ms Zwambila was appointed to her present post, she asked me if I wanted to work with her in Australia in cultural cooperation and education because of my qualifications and experience.

“I worked for nine months without a contract, of which every time I asked for it she (Ambassador Zwambila) would threaten me with deportation,” said Mr Machiridza.
At times, Mr Machiridza said, Ambassador Zwambila would ask him to handle and clean up used condoms from her son’s bedroom without protective clothing.

After experiencing such heinous abuse, Mr Machiridza said he approached the Australian Human Rights Commission for assistance.
He said the AHRC did not offer him any assistance, citing diplomatic privileges and immunities enjoyed by the diplomat.

Mr Machiridza said he then opted to approach some MDC-T senior members back home who advised him that it was not proper to expose senior party members at this particular moment because it “would be tantamount to shooting ourselves in the foot”.

Mr Machiridza, who claimed to be an ardent supporter of the MDC-T, said Ambassador Zwambila was a threat to the party and its support base.
“Ambassador Zwambila is threatening the life-blood and survival of the MDC and the party leadership can keep her and face the risk of losing sizeable support.

“I kept quiet for so long because I wanted to protect not just the integrity of my boss but also the image and credibility of the party.
“I have exhausted all the means of trying to get Ambassador Zwambila to consider the public image, not just hers or of the MDC but of the whole nation of Zimbabwe,” said Mr Machiridza.

Mr Machiridza who has since been fired by Ambassador Zwambila is still staying at the ambassador’s residence
Repeated efforts to get a comment from Ambassador Zwambila were fruitless, as her mobile phone was unreachable since Monday. Officials at the embassy repeatedly said she was not in the office.

Ambassador Zwambila also failed to respond to questions sent on her e-mail by this paper since Monday.
MDC-T spokesperson Mr Douglas Mwonzora on Wednesday said he needed more time to investigate the matter before commenting.

Zimbabwe’s chief diplomat to Australia is not new to controversy.
Early this year Ambassador Zwambila hit newspaper headlines after she allegedly stripped naked in front of embassy male officials whom she accused of leaking confidential information to The Herald and other publications.

You Might Also Like

Comments