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Government shuts down Girl Child Network

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from: zimdaily.com

THE government has provisionally shut down Betty Hazviperi Makoni’s Girl Child Network (GCN) following shocking revelations that she was illegally and unlawfully keeping children without proper documentation and permission from the Ministry of Labour, Public Service and Social Welfare.

GCN is an organisation that fights for the rights of the girl child against all forms of child abuses that include rape and negligence.

ZimDaily has it on good authority that Makoni’s organisation was ordered to close its doors last week after complaints to the police and government by National Coordinator of the Victim Friendly Unit (VFU), Idine Magonga that Makoni was unlawfully housing children (minors) at her various centres that are scattered all over the nation.

Impeccable sources at VFU yesterday said Makoni was forcibly ordered to temporarily stop operations until she acquires proper papers and permission from Nicholas Goche’s ministry.

“It’s true that Betty Makoni’s GCN has been briefly closed pending further investigations that she was unlawfully keeping hundreds of children without government’s authority. Victim Friendly Unit has even written to both the ZRP and Minister Goche’s ministry about the issue. Luckily, all parties responded positively to our pleas and they shut down GCN until Makoni puts her house in order,” the source said.

Some safe-houses in Chitungwiza were either locked up or were deserted when ZimDaily visited them.

Efforts to get official comment on the issue proved futile as Makoni was reported to be abroad, while her other workers at GCN head offices in Chitungwiza refused to say anything saying they were not permitted to speak to the Press.

No comment could be obtained again from Goche’s office. His secretary said the minister was out of office and requested this reporter to put his questions in writing.

On Thursday last week members of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) arrested Makoni and talk show host Mai Rebecca Chisamba for questioning on allegations of contravening the Child Protection and Adoption Act.

According to police spokesperson Chief Superintendent Oliver Mandipaka, Makoni who has become a thorn in the flesh of ZANU PF rapists and child abusers like Destiny of Africa Network (DANet) director Obadiah Msindo and business mogul Obvious Sambasi is facing allegations of contravening the Child Protection and Adoption Act after she brought eight suspected rape victims to Mai Chisamba Show.

According to other media reports, Mandipaka said it was illegal to interfere with State witnesses and victims when a case is still pending in the Courts.

On two different episodes Mandipaka said the eight children from GCN were interviewed during the talk show.

“The girls gave testimonies of how they were reportedly raped and rescued by Ms Makoni’s organisation. Although their faces were partially blurred, they were still visible enough to be identified,” Mandipaka said.

In a related but separate incident Makoni was last week arrested and detained overnight together with two American filmmakers who were later deported without being allowed access to their lawyers for shooting videos at one of her centres. The police officers that arrested Makoni said the two visitors had no permission to do so without accreditation from the Media and Information Commission (MIC).

Political analysts are of the opinion that Makoni’s arrest and the closure of her organisation might be fuelled by some ZANU PF bigwigs that were unhappy with her (Makoni’s) commitment to have them arrested and prosecuted for their alleged rape charges.

One political analyst had this to say: “People should know that politics is indeed a dirty game. Who doesn’t know that ZANU PF is good at using you and then dump you again later? Makoni’s persecution has nothing to do with her operating illegally and unlawfully and for bringing the said children To Mai Chisamba Show.

Instead, there are some ruling party bigwigs that are not happy with her firm stance to have them arrested and prosecuted for their alleged rape charges of which the majority of these rape cases are still pending in the courts.”

The tough talking child rights activist who this year scooped two international awards for her dedication in protecting children’s rights provoked outrage from several ZANU PF officials and the Central Intelligence Organisation (CIO) after she publicly blasted Mugabe and his cronies for not doing enough to protect and empower the girl-child.

In January this year, Makoni vowed to fight Mugabe’s protected Rapists like Msindo and Sambasi whom she said were being protected by the State through Police Commissioner, Augustine Chihuri who is refusing or deliberately failing to finalise investigations and prosecution of the rape allegations.

Msindo has a pending rape case in the High Court in which he is accused of raping his maid five times, while his colleague, Sambasi is likely to face statutory rape after he impregnated then 15 year old ZTV KidsNet presenter, Makanaka Wakatama.

Wakatama was born on August 23 1990 and gave birth to a baby boy in April this year.