via ZBC boss case: Tip of the iceberg DECEMBER 19, 2013 by Cathy Buckle
Across the country hundreds of thousands of people must be busy compiling their CVs at this very moment. CVs for the position of domestic worker in the employment of the CEO of ZBC, Happison Muchechetere.
This must surely be the job any of us would jump at: free accommodation; no transport costs, free water and electricity.
All this in exchange for domestic duties which probably include cleaning, washing, ironing and maybe cooking; all for a return of $2 500 a month.
That’s apparently the amount that Muchechetere is allowed by his ZBC board for domestic workers and surely he doesn’t have more than one?
The remuneration for Mucheterere’s services as the head of ZBC are staggering in a country where at least 80 percent of people are unable to get formal employment and nearly a quarter of the population are in need of food aid if they are to survive to the next harvest.
The deputy Information minister outlined the CEO’s monthly package and its extravagance was shocking: basic salary $27 000; housing allowance $3 000; home entertainment allowance $3 000; domestic worker allowance $2 500; unlimited free fuel; five business class air tickets a year; three regional business class air tickets a year and unlimited local air travel.
The allowance for just his domestic workers is five times more than a qualified teacher’s monthly salary not to mention the pittance earned by thousands of university graduates who sit on pavements selling trinkets and air time to survive.
Last week’s sensational Daily News headlines: “I don’t care” left us even more shocked at the despicable state of affairs at ZBC.
Muchechetere apparently said he didn’t care about press reports of his massive $40 000 monthly pay package which comes at a time when other ZBC employees haven’t been paid for six months.
It also comes at a time when ZBC has a debt of $44,3 million and 500 workers are facing retrenchment in what’s being called a restructuring exercise.
Asked by ZiFM radio if he was resentful about people looking into his affairs at ZBH, Muchechetere said: “I’m not bothered with poor souls.”
That’s an ironic choice of words coming from the man whose colleagues are literally poor souls since they haven’t been paid for months.
ZBC apparently has a monthly income of $275 000 and with the CEO taking almost 20 percent of this for himself every thirty days, it’s no wonder the national broadcaster is in such a shocking state.
ZBC is apparently paying out $1,6 million in workers’ salaries every month so there’s obviously a serious crisis of income over expenditure and Muchechetere can’t be alone in receiving a big pay packet.
Muchechetere is the tip of the iceberg; one of the nouveau riche who has emerged from the country’s collapse.
We question how they amassed such wealth in a country crippled for a decade.
The can of worms has been opened and Zimbabweans should demand a full parliamentary investigation into the packages of the CEO’s of all parastatals, including GMB, Air Zimbabwe, NRZ, Tel One, Zesa.
Despite the country’s shock and outrage at the huge package being paid to the ZBC CEO, we must question why the ZBC Board approved it, why the ministry of Information turned a blind eye and why the GNU failed to expose it while they were in office the last four years.
Muchechetere is now on suspension on full pay and for every day that this drags on he is earning a cool $1 333.
We wonder if he’s lying on his couch watching ZBC TV?
COMMENTS
Thing is how much does Cathy get [aid for her propaganda?
Cathy Buckle needs to investigate more, propaganda journalism has pushed salaries up in that local embassies just dish out payments for anything anti government.
To try and save the nation we have to pay those sort of people more to try and get6 them to remain loyal to the nation.
There will be those in disbelief eg.
Take Zesa – we need to bring Zimbabwe to its knees so that MDC can get jobs.
As I write so called tenders exist, 135 million, Zesa wants it paid back in power which means that there will be no improvement until the next election.
THE NATION DOESNT MATTER ITS JUST THEIR POCKETS THAT COUNT.
When you write propaganda it turns potential investors away and makes us all poor. If what they do didn’t work why are they still doing it.
We all need to fight back, personally those involved in economic sabotage need to be lined up and shot.
Report anyone taking foreign funds in exchange for promoting propaganda.
They can shout we are journalists we have more rights than ordinary people – we can abuse who we like – just simply arrest them for economic sabotage and take the key away.
With due respect to your views Apolitical, I think to be fair Cathy here has just stated the facts as they are and nothing else. There is no economic sabotage of whatsoever form. Lets not see imaginary things when there isn’t.
As a nation we need to learn to face the facts: Why was Mucheterere allowed to have such an obscene package in such a poor country for a corporation that is running losses every month? The guy is not even qualified to get that role, his only qualification being that he is a Zanu PF member.
How also could the corporation include things like paying off mortgage, building a durawall when the majority of employees earn less than a $1,000?
The bigger problem is that there is probably other parastatal CEOs who are earning more than Mucheterere for corporations that are raking loss after loss, its only that they haven’t been probed.
Potential investors are turned away by investor unfriendly policies pursued by the Zanu PF government. Other countries are also pursuing investors and so there is competition and so we have to put our best foot forward. That is not helped when the leader of the nation is so racist he goes on and on about it and that makes everybody uncomfortable including potential investors who may even be the same colour as the president.
Zesa could have been helped many years ago when we joined Capco, Esc and the municipalities and back then good proposals and initiatives were turned away because they did not line up the pockets of the chefs. As a nation we need to start thinking of the future and know that the world is now a global village and we face competition and not blame everybody else and just think of arresting people as you have alluded in your post.
@Apolitical- What are you trying to say in simple understandable English language? If you have facts about evil things going on at ZESA, why not give that vital information to your trusted CIO department to investigate and have saboteurs arrested.We are not here to waste time talking about cheap politics when our children and grand children’s lives are threatened with extinction due to poverty.If this country had enough money with proper management at ZESA,we could within a year or so generate adequate electricity for all of us if we approach companies like GEC.
Apolitical must be Happison Muche chetere or Chiyangwa or Obert Mpofu maybe even Ignatious Chombo. You are the economic sabotours who must be locked away. Leave Cathy alone she is dead right. Typical Zanu blame all their failures on drought, sanctions, GNU etc. Shame on you.
Cathy should just stop her white diatribe. We are sick and tired of people bringing this country down. I’m personally no longer fond of your cheap shots when people are trying to sort out the mess caused by sanctions imposed by the racist community.
Sounds like similar problems with the economy of the country all part and parcel of the same can of worms.
You are also imposing sanctions to her freedom of speech on racial grounds mister.Learn to accommodate others then you will become a better person who might solve the current mess.
Jukwa you are part of the problem. What sanctions are you on about.