A scandal of immense proportions has been unraveling at Coverlink MicroInsurance Holdings, as a senior church leader at ZAOGA and team leader, Stewart Mangwiro, stands accused of persistent sexual harassment of a young female subordinate, B-Metro has reported.
The publication has also obtained exclusive details of the alleged misconduct that has left the insurance company and the church community in utter disbelief.
According to the harrowing account provided by the 19-year-old victim, whose identity has been withheld for her protection, Mangwiro, a father of two and a former police officer, exploited his position of power to make inappropriate and indecent advances towards her. The young woman, employed as a marketing agent, recounted her ordeal, which began when Mangwiro was assigned to train, supervise, and accompany her to Nkayi District in Matabeleland North Province for marketing activities.
Initially, the victim perceived Mangwiro’s attentiveness and guidance as a display of professional responsibility and care. “When I started work, everything was fine. Mangwiro was the one who inducted me, and as the team leader, he was assigned by the branch manager to accompany us to the field. Initially, I interpreted his kindness as a team leader’s protectiveness, ensuring I quickly grasped my duties,” she narrated.
However, the situation soon took a sinister turn, as Mangwiro allegedly began visiting the victim’s sleeping quarters under the pretext of providing work-related guidance. These visits escalated into inappropriate touching, including caressing the victim’s thighs and other sensitive areas of her body. The victim recounted these disturbing incidents, stating, “During these interactions, he would touch my arms, thighs, breasts, and stomach, getting uncomfortably close. I knew this behaviour was inappropriate, as people of opposite sexes shouldn’t be this intimate.”
Despite the distress caused by these encounters, the victim felt compelled to endure the harassment in order to maintain her employment. She revealed, “I remember instances where I was covered with a fleece, but he would forcefully put his hand inside. Despite feeling extremely uncomfortable, I endured it because I was an intern desperate for the job.”
The victim’s ordeal reached its peak during a work trip when two of their colleagues had to leave due to emergencies. Mangwiro allegedly refused to allow the victim and her remaining colleague to return to his relatives’ house, where they had been staying. Instead, he arranged for them to stay at a local police station, claiming that their company permitted employees to share rooms.
In the middle of the night, Mangwiro reportedly approached the victim’s blankets and proceeded to remove her jacket before engaging in further inappropriate behavior. The victim recounted this horrifying experience, stating, “At midnight, he darted to my blankets in my corner. As I woke up, I discovered he had already removed my jacket, which I was wearing, and was busy sucking my breasts and romancing my thighs with his hand. I felt his weight on my body and had to scream to remove him, but he instructed me to keep quiet and returned to his blankets.”
Feeling trapped and powerless, the victim eventually reported Mangwiro’s actions to the branch manager, Chris Mudzingwa. In response, Mangwiro allegedly apologized to the victim via WhatsApp, acknowledging his unprofessional conduct and urging her to keep the incident confidential.
When contacted for comment, Mangwiro responded tersely, “Where did you get that? That being an allegation, I would have loved to know the source of information so that we know how best to address that issue.”
Mudzingwa confirmed the allegations against Mangwiro, stating, “We promoted him recently, but he has been working at this company for about four years. I have received some information about the issue, but we are still investigating the matter. For now, I haven’t seen the evidence yet. However, we do not tolerate this behaviour and will not keep such a bad character at our workplace. We will ask them to write reports, which will be sent to our head office.”
The victim’s courage in coming forward with her story has sent ripples through both the insurance and church communities, prompting calls for swift and decisive action against Mangwiro. The young woman’s ordeal serves as a stark reminder of the pervasive issue of sexual harassment in the workplace and the urgent need for employers to prioritize the safety and well-being of their employees.
In response to the growing outrage, Coverlink MicroInsurance Holdings has released a statement, assuring the public that they are taking the allegations seriously and are committed to maintaining a safe and respectful work environment for all employees. The company has also pledged to provide support and resources to the victim during this difficult time.
