Zimbabwe News Online: Companies house writes to YLPA as investigations proceed

Companies house writes to YLPA as investigations proceed
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Gibson Mabaya on 01 June, 2010 07:23:00
 
According to communication received from a Companies house technical offences
manager.Youth Leadership Project Africa maybe in breach of companies Act 2006
Registered in UK under company number 07188547, and operating as a charity
organisation before its facebook page was changed to company charity, the
company was reported to be misleading citizens after some concerned citizens
queried the group’s activities on facebook.
Under Sections 82 to 84 of the Companies Act 2006 limited companies
letter-headed paper, emails and website must disclose the full company name,
company number, registered office address and place of registration (i.e. a
statement such as Registered in England & Wales).
The information which was not showing on their website prompted some citizens to
query its activities among other concerns.The company‘s activities were
doubted by some concerned citizens after discussions by its members allegedly
pointed to some sinister motives and operations.
Companies house moved in to investigate if Youth Leadership Project Africa was
operating according to lawful procedures as required by the Companies Act 2006,
as YLPA management refused to answer our interview questions.
In an email addressed to Mr Mkandawire and Ms Siwela, the Technical Offences
Manager in Cardiff wrote that the company “may be in breach of the Companies
Act 2006 - in that it does not show your registered details.”
He went on to request that YLPA contacts the representative as a matter of
urgency, and the representative know if the website is owned by the limited
company so that companies house  can decide on the best course of action.
Youth Leadership Project Africa’s management team comprises of, Antonia Vimbai
Chonyera –Jenning (Chairperson), Abigail Siziba (Advisor), Ben Chiza
Mkandawire (HR Manager),Tafadzwa God’s wish Gidi(Projects manager),Betina
Sibanda Siwela (Events and publicity manager),Ashley Mwanza (Secretary)and
Precious Bumhira –Matsika (Treasurer),
According to the company’s mission statement, Youth Leadership Project Africa
looks at “resuscitating Africa's education system.” They are working on
projects in Zimbabwe, Malawi and South Africa.
“As a non-profit organization, Youth Leadership Project Africa (YLPA) is a
growing organization that is dedicated to the education and self enhancement for
the youth in Africa and heather to the community. YLPA promotes positive
lifestyles, focusing on children who are no doubt the future leaders of the vast
African continent. It is our belief that every child deserves an education, and
it is our aim to see to it that the African child acquires this basic right. The
main vision and mission is based on working with grass root projects in the
Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) region to help support and sustain
the rebuilding of our nations. The charity focuses on raising funds for African
countries focusing mainly on Zimbabwe, Malawi and South Africa at the moment.”
The company goes on to state that as a non-profit organization, Youth Leadership
Project Africa (YLPA), was founded in May 2009.The charity commission has since
confirmed that the company is not a registered charity organisation and that it
is a criminal offence for an organisation to pose as a charity if they are not
one.
One of the concerned citizens phone the Zimbabwe embassy to check if they know
about the company only to be told that the embassy had received some calls about
a group going around collecting money and they suspected that it could be a
scam. However the citizen did not elaborate if the group was Youth Leadership
Project Africa.