The long-running case against Chiredzi West legislator Darlington Chiwa, who is accused of diverting Constituency Development Fund (CDF) money and committing gross misconduct, has been pushed back once more, with the Masvingo Regional Magistrates Court remanding the matter to October 19, 2026.
Chiwa appeared before Masvingo Regional Magistrate Innocent Bepura on September 14, 2026, where the court ruled that his passport must stay in the custody of the court. Magistrate Bepura said the arrangement was necessary in the interests of justice and ordered the legislator to report to the authorities once a month, on the last Friday of every month, while the case is pending.
The court also ordered that title deeds in the matter be released until October 16, 2026. The postponement extends a case that has now stretched over several months, with the State previously telling the court that key documents were still being processed.
What prosecutors allege
Chiwa was arrested in January 2026 by the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC) after investigations into the alleged looting of funds meant for development projects in his constituency.
According to prosecutors, Parliament transferred ZWG1,332,430 — roughly US$50,000 — into the Chiredzi West CDF account in April 2025 for community projects. Investigators allege that Chiwa consolidated control of the account by manipulating other signatories into giving up their responsibilities, leaving him as the sole signatory.
The State further alleges that the money was moved into his personal bank accounts, with ZWG993,241 reportedly spent on personal items including building materials, groceries, shoes and beer. Only ZWG270,427 is said to have been directed towards actual constituency projects.
Party discipline deferred
The allegations also triggered action within ZANU PF, which had issued a prohibition order barring Chiwa from convening meetings and conducting political activities in Chiredzi West. That order was lifted in July 2026, and the party deferred its own disciplinary proceedings until the court case is concluded.
In a letter dated July 14, 2026, ZANU PF Secretary General Advocate Jacob Mudenda said the party’s Politburo had upheld the decision to defer the disciplinary matter because the allegations overlapped with the criminal proceedings. The party had charged Chiwa with alleged misuse of CDF funds and gross misconduct following complaints received by the ZANU PF Masvingo Provincial Executive.
Why the case matters
The CDF is a central plank of government efforts to fund local development, and how the money is used is closely watched in rural constituencies where project funding is scarce. Cases involving alleged abuse of the fund have become a test of how firmly the State is willing to act against sitting legislators.
For now, Chiwa remains a Member of Parliament and continues to face a court process that has repeatedly been rolled over. He has been ordered to report monthly, and his travel documents remain with the court until the matter returns on October 19.
ZimNewspaper will follow the case as it develops.
