via Salaries Scandal is a typical case of Zanu PF looting and hypocrisy February 3, 2014 by ZUNDE
Zimbabweans United for Democracy (ZUNDE) condemns the corruption destroying our economy and service delivery institutions, particularly in the public sector where a few and connected greedy public servants are gorging themselves on the tax revenue from suffering people. In our vision for the future we propose a society guided by values ofFairness, Accountability, Inclusiveness and Respect (FAIR). In this particular case ZUNDE finds it abhorrent that such hefty salaries were approved by Zanu PF ministers and are being offered to certain individuals when the rest of the people are hardly affording a single meal a day. It is just not right that Zanu PF continues to milks public institutions through clandestine salary arrangements including the rampant cases of ghost workers. Let the nation be assured that ZUNDE will put this to a sure end. ZUNDE does not accept the excuse that the matter was discussed in cabinet – what matters is what was done about it. ZUNDE will not provide a safe haven for corruption.
What we find most unacceptable is the pretence by Zanu PF and those who were and are in charge of these corrupt institutions crying foul when they are the very same people who appointed these greedy individuals and approved their salary packages in the first place. It is common knowledge that these packages were approved by the boards and government ministers responsible for the institutions. Zanu PF cannot fool anyone by pretending to be champions of their own mess. ZUNDE will not be fooled even an inch.
For a start, George Charamba, who is also the President’s spokesperson, is Secretary in the ministry that oversees the corrupt boards that approved Muchechetere hefty salaries and a member of another board that approved the PSMAS salary of $230 000 pm for Mr Dube! Mr Charamba, and the government and President he represents, were all aware of these salaries for decades and renewed them on several occasions. The new Minister of Information, who we all know about his antiques, is now presenting himself as a clean sweeper. Cleaning is not about recycling dirt; it’s about removing dirt. As if not enough the Prosecutor General does not view this level of corruption deserving his urgent attention. Had these been cases, even fabricated, against opposition figures he would have moved in instantly and then ask questions later. Obviously Zanu PF is meticulously going through each name and reviewing who among the bosses would be implicated; if the case would end on a Znu PF heavyweight then Zanu PF would quickly move in and stop any investigation and reverse any action taken.
It is an insult for the same person to condemn what he approved. It is lip service for the minister who was responsible for the board and also an act of insincerity for a President whose secretary and spokesperson approved these corrupt tendencies. The corruption trails up to the President’s desk! Now we are being told the same level of corruption extents to a number of public institutions that operate under the watchful eye of Zanu PF and indeed their President.
Minister Chombo is another typical example of Zanu PF hypocrisy. The Harare City Council recently suspended Mahachi for failing to explain the council’s salary schedule. Within no time Chmobo in typical trademark nullifies the city council’s efforts to investigate, thereby approving the scandal. Like a typical gangster, Zanu PF decides, regardless of facts, who is corrupt and who is not. Again we know that it is only President Mugabe who can stop the minister from condoning corruption in local authorities. We all know what springs him to action – Mugabe prefers it as it is! ZUNDE will not have any of this.
It is our firm belief that whatever we do must focus at the root cause of our misery – anything else is not helpful at all. Zanu PF has tried to paint-brush its evil practice and intention, the opposition has tried to change or swap leaders but nothing is being done to dismantle the dictatorship that is at the epicentre of our misery. ZUNDE has chosen to focus on the root cause and we are calling on everyone tired of the misery to join us on this focus. Zanu PF is a blocked toilet; we can’t continue flashing it, we have to replace it! Zanu PF is like a hen past its egg laying age; we can’t continue to feed it! The old cock can’t sear any more offspring; we have to get a younger one!
The hefty salaries being approved by Zanu PF and ignored by the former GNU partners has left workers without an honest shepherd. A government that is prepared to pay millions to Malema and Nikuv but would not do the same to their own workers is not worth anybody’s support. It’s criminal to approve earning of $230,000 per month when government can’t afford to pay civil servants $500! The starving workers have only read and heard about Chiadzwa diamond fields but have not seen even a cent of it. The government claims it’s broke but can afford to spend over $1m for the President’s birthday! If this is not evil then Satan is a saint! Such callous decision making is only normal in the world of Zanu PF where its Minister of Information Jonathan Moyo declares that it’s not illegal to make wrong decisions.
For this reason ZUNDE is calling on workers to reflect on their fight for a living wage. At the moment Zanu PF won’t even give the workers what they promised them before the recent stolen elections. During the GNU even those that were supposed to represent the workers were surprisingly quiet. It’s time for workers to demand fairness and not promises, to receive respect for their support and votes and not endless meetings with perennial failures. As workers we can strike but if they don’t listen, we must take this initiative and join ZUNDE. Don’t be intimidated into throwing away your future and that of your loved ones.
ZUNDE sympathizes with and support the workers in their demands for fairness and improved working conditions. The longer we let Zanu PF in charge the more they will destroy our beloved country. We cannot afford that any more. Zanu PF doesn’t care; their only friends and partners are power, diamonds and Nikuv. Just like in the Willowgate scandal, they are looking for a scapegoat; it might be you or me. To the nation ZUNDE says we are coming and things will never be the same; we will put an end to Zanu PF impunity, looting and corruption.
COMMENTS
Poor ZUNDE. You have framed our problem so well. Then you start talking about “workers”. This is ZANU language. There are no workers or peasants. We are all just people. Giving us strange names and categorizing us is already the start of a process of dehumanisation. You are already doing this. What would happen if you came to power?
John Thomas, what do you find so irritating about anybody being called a worker? You really have lost me here. That you are against ZUNDE is your problem but try and say something that makes a bit of sense in the comtext of this statement, if you have nothing to say, why don’t you just keep quiet and do some work rather than waste productive time on the internet talking nonsense???
John Thomas has a point, but you, Dangamvura, chose not to address it. Why is that? To call on “the workers” is a keyword in class warfare. Why not simply engage “the citizens” to react. “The bit dog yelps first” seems to apply, for your response seems overmuch. Why so sensitive to his comment? You blew an excellent opportunity for honest dialogue… which brings wonderment to mind… Hhhhmmmm…?
time for workers to demand fairness and not promises,to receive respect for their support and votes.votes,votes,votes,he who play with the devil should not cry when stabbed from the back.you voted the old fool into office knowingly he is a failure and that those around him are worse than him.zunde and those you claim to represent are you surprised to receive nothing for your so called support and votes?.a leopard hardly change its spots .
I personally have no problem with new players in the Political field. I think it might be healthy for democracy. Whilst I have my own convictions as an an individual I still listen to what others have to say. What I am waiting to see is what ZUNDE want’s me to join them doing. I and others on this forum are doing that already but at the end of the day we are only doing it in the only way we can. I think when the article says how those involved in the GNU ignored what was happen obliviously referring to The MDC IS HITTING BELOW THE BELT. It is common knowledge that both MDC’S were pressurised by SADEC to join this GNU. That the main MDC won that particular election is also a known fact. Zanu would not let them rule. It is also common knowledge that Zanu was running a parallel economy and that the MDC ministers had hardly any say in what happened and people like Chombo were basically doing as they pleased across the board. People must listen to what ZUNDE has to say ,but ZUNDE and it’s supporters must not forget who the Enemy is.
Zunde – Good intentions, but can you really deliver effective action that will pressure Government/ZPF to change or is this just more of the same talk we hear from the MDC and every other group opposed to Govt/ZPF policies who to-date have not been able to produce any effective action to enforce the changes Zimbabwe so desperately needs.
Secondly these are problems facing all Zimbabweans, not just the ‘Workers’ and it will only be through the collective effort of all zimbabweans that positive change can take place.
The biggest prblm in Zim nowadays isn’t zpf bt lack of proactive opposition parties. Agreed zpf is ruthless bt any opposition worthy its salt shd mobilze ppl to demonstrate agst this daylight robbery. Its no longer helpful to spend time behind e computer writing anti zpf good high sounding articles or having private meetings in air conditioned conference rooms and later adopt high sounding resolutions. What is needed is an aggressive opposition whose leaders ar willing to lead any protests from e front. Imagine if e entire opposition leadership from all parties lead a demo agst such high level corruption. U can’t expect me a nonentity to be on e front line