‘Play the victim card’: ‘Play the victim card’: Charity boss hits back at Harry amid row
The chairwoman of Prince Harry’s African charity has taken a thinly veiled swipe at the royal after he quit lashing out at “bullying and misogyny” within the organisation.
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The chairwoman at the centre of a row surrounding a charity founded by Prince Harry has described herself as a “whistleblower” fighting “misogyny and bullying”.
The Duke of Sussex, his co-founder Prince Seeiso of Lesotho and fellow trustees resigned from Sentebale earlier this week amid a row with Sophie Chandauka, the chair of the African charity’s board.
Prince Harry and Seeiso described their decision to go as “devastating” but said that as a result of Chandauka’s “untenable” leadership they had been forced to consider the “unthinkable”.
Dr Chandauka retaliated by saying she had filed a lawsuit against the organisation in the High Court. Presenting herself as a “whistleblower”, Chandauka appeared to suggest that Sentebale was a “vanity project” for Harry, Seeiso and trustees.
In a statement, Dr Chandauka alleged there was a “cover up” at the charity, blasting “weak executive management, abuse of power, bullying, harassment, misogyny, and misogynoir [discrimination against black women]”.
She also took a swipe at “people in this world who behave as though they are above the law and mistreat people”
Dr Chandauka blasted that the such people “then play the victim card and use the very press they disdain”.
She hit out in a slew of accusations at her colleagues: “For me, this is not a vanity project from which I can resign when I am called to account.
“I am an African who has had the privilege of a world-class education and career. I will not be intimidated. I must stand for something. I stand for those other women who do not have the ways and means,” she said.
“I chose to join Sentebale first and foremost as a proud African who understands that, in the spirit of ubuntu: to whom much is given, much is expected.
“Everything I do at Sentebale is in pursuit of the integrity of the organisation, its mission, and the young people we serve. My actions are guided by the principles of fairness and equitable treatment for all, regardless of social status or financial means.
“There are people in this world who behave as though they are above the law and mistreat people, and then play the victim card and use the very press they disdain to harm people who have the courage to challenge their conduct.
“Discerning readers will ask themselves: why would the Chair of the Board report her own Trustees to the Charity Commission? Why would the High Court of England and Wales accept her application to hear the matter at all if the case had no merit?
“Well, because beneath all the victim narrative and fiction that has been syndicated to press is the story of a woman who dared to blow the whistle.”
On Monday, a “devastated” Prince Harry has resigned from his beloved African charity Sentebale amid “unthinkable” infighting in the organisation.
The Duke of Sussex quit the charity, which he established in 2006 to help vulnerable children living in poverty and suffering from AIDS, in solidarity with his co-founder and the entire board of trustees, The Times reports.
Prince Harry set up the charity with Prince Seeiso of Lesotho, whose mother died in 2003, after his life-changing visit to the country of Lesotho during his gap year in 2004.
In joint statement seen by The Times, Prince Harry and his co-founder Prince Seeiso of Lesotho wrote: “What’s transpired is unthinkable. We are in shock that we have to do this.”
The statement said: “Nearly 20 years ago, we founded Sentebale in honour of our mothers.
Sentebale means ‘forget-me-not’ in Sesotho, the local language of Lesotho, and it’s what we’ve always promised for the young people we’ve served through this charity.
“Today is no different. With heavy hearts, we have resigned from our roles as patrons of the organisation until further notice, in support of and solidarity with the board of trustees who have had to do the same. It is devastating that the relationship between the charity’s trustees and the chair of the board broke down beyond repair, creating an untenable situation.”
The Times reports that there has been a loss of confidence in Sophie Chandauka, a Zimbabwe-born lawyer who was appointed as chair last year.
She is understood to be suing the trustees after they questioned whether she was best suited for the role, The Times reports.
Ms Chandauka has refused to step down, forcing the resignation of the charity’s trustees including Mark Dyer, a lifelong friend of Prince Harry.
In their statement, Prince Harry and Prince Seeiso backed the trustees.
“These trustees acted in the best interest of the charity in asking the chair to step down, while keeping the wellbeing of staff in mind,” they wrote.
“In turn, she sued the charity to remain in this voluntary position, further underscoring the broken relationship.
“We thank all the trustees for their service over the years and are truly heartbroken they’ve had to follow through with this act.
“What’s transpired is unthinkable. We are in shock that we have to do this, but we have a continued responsibility to Sentebale’s beneficiaries, so we will be sharing all of our concerns with the Charity Commission as to how this came about.
“Although we may no longer be patrons, we will always be its founders, and we will never forget what this charity is capable of achieving when it is in the right care.”
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Originally published as ‘Play the victim card’: ‘Play the victim card’: Charity boss hits back at Harry amid row
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