The Zimbabwe High Court has frozen two luxury mansions belonging to Mr. Robert Kwesiga, the Secretary General of the Uganda Red Cross Society (URCS), and his wife, Sandie Hilda, amid allegations of corruption. The properties, valued at $300,000 each (approximately Shs1.14b), are located in the upscale Mt Pleasant and Vainona suburbs of Harare, Zimbabwe.
Mr. Kwesiga and his wife have been given a 30-day ultimatum to explain the source of the funds used to purchase the mansions, or risk having them seized by the government. The court’s judgment, delivered on May 15, 2024, requires the couple to provide satisfactory evidence of the legal acquisition of the properties.
The allegations stem from Mr. Kwesiga’s tenure with the Danish Red Cross in Zimbabwe from 2007 to 2013. The National Prosecuting Authority of Zimbabwe, equivalent to Uganda’s Director of Public Prosecutions, suspects that the money used to buy the mansions was obtained through illegitimate means.
Additionally, they or anyone acting on their behalf is restrained from disposing of the property until the order is varied or set aside by the court. While the corruption allegations against Mr. Kwesiga have not yet been proven, the Prosecutor-General described the court judgment as a significant step in combating crime and corruption.
“There are reasonable grounds for suspecting that the couple was involved in serious crime as their lawful income was insufficient to enable them to lawfully acquire the properties,” the Prosecutor-General added. “The absence of a paper trail reflecting the origin and movement of the money used to purchase both houses further compounded the State’s suspicions.”
Mr. Kwesiga responded to the allegations through a WhatsApp message shared by URCS spokesperson Ms. Irene Nakasiita, asserting that the properties were purchased using legally obtained funds.
“Since this is a matter before the court in Zimbabwe, I can’t say much but to allow the court process to proceed without jeopardy. What I can say is we acquired the property in 2012 through authentic and legal procedures with legitimate income. I was working as an expatriate with diplomatic accreditation from 2005–2013,” Mr. Kwesiga stated.
He emphasized that the court’s decision was unexpected, but they have provided the necessary documents to their lawyers for submission to the court.
“This is not a judgment. The judge asked for documents to accompany the property in question and these were shared with the lawyers. This came as a shock to us but our legal team is handling it and we await the final verdict,” he added.
Ms. Nakasiita clarified that the issues in Zimbabwe are unrelated to Mr. Kwesiga’s role at the Uganda Red Cross Society.
“Robert acquired that property while working in Zimbabwe many years ago, and therefore, this has nothing to do with his current role as Secretary General of the Uganda Red Cross Society,” she stated.
The URCS, established in Uganda in 1964, plays a crucial role in humanitarian efforts, including assisting those affected by conflicts and accidents, and spearheading donation drives across the country.