via Zimbabwe government’s purge meant to lure investors’ February 10, 2014 By Phillip Chidavaenzi NewsDay
INVESTIGATIONS by the government into the operations of State enterprises where senior officials were awarded mega salaries and perks have been described as suspicious with political analysts saying the government could not have been unaware of what was happening.
They said the ongoing purges were likely part of a grand scheme of political cleansing as the same executives were appointed by parastatal boards appointed by government ministers.
Analysts who spoke to NewsDay yesterday said the government was in a desperate economic fix and the new drive against corruption was probably meant to woo foreign investors who demanded a clear–cut system of checks and balances in public parastatals.
The remarks came in the wake of indications that the police were now ready to kick–start criminal proceedings against suspects named in underhand dealings in public institutions.
Leadership Institute for Transformation and Social Change director Godwin Phiri said government’s purges had been motivated by its failure to lure foreign investors.
“I would say this government has failed to lure foreign investors. You have to show commitment to dealing with the underlying issues. Clearly, issues of corruption, poor corporate governance are key factors in economic performance,” he said.
Suspended Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation chief executive officer Happison Muchechetere was pocketing $40 000 in salary and allowances while the corporation’s workers had gone for six months without pay and Premier Service Medical Aid Society chief executive Cuthbert Dube earned $230 000 per month at a time when the society had accumulated $38 million debts.
Phiri said it, however, remained to be seen whether or not the government would pursue the fight against corruption in the public sector to its logical conclusion.
“While we must commend these efforts, in the long term Zimbabweans will be waiting to see if these issues are going to be addressed with finality, and this means there should be no sacred cows,” he said.
Former State Enterprises minister Gorden Moyo (MDC–T) recently told our sister paper, The Standard, that President Robert Mugabe was aware of what had been happening in the public institutions and the unorthodox dealings happened with the blessings of the responsible ministers.
“We raised these issues when they came out, but nothing happened. They are known. The President was aware,” he said. “Line ministers were accomplices to the crimes so they could not prevail on the parastatal bosses.”
Media Centre director Ernest Mudzengi said he was not convinced that the renewed anti–corruption drive was genuine, describing it as “politically driven” as all the emerging scandals should have been exposed earlier.
“These things were happening in parastatals that were supposed to be under the oversight of certain ministers,” Mudzengi said. “Where were they? Are those ministers not supposed to be investigated as well? And where were the boards?”
Mudzengi said the fact that the anti-graft fight was inspired by deliberate leakages of information from certain quarters raised suspicion.
“We received a report on these issues from (Gorden) Moyo, which were revealed to government long back and no action was taken then,” he said.
COMMENTS
No one will invest in anything ZANUPF except themselves and then it is only to rip off the tax payer and workers at the benefit of a few ‘ chefs ‘. Charamba is right they should all resign, then call new elections that should be conducted by the UN and only when we have a truly democratic and stable Zimbabwe will the investors come. Only then can we flush out all the corrupt buffoons and build a new Nation. Let ZANUPF and the war vets have their Zimbabwe, we need a new nation with a new name and new friendlier image.
George himself should resign
No investor will be fooled by these tactics of Zanu, imprison the culprits first with no chance of parole to prove Zanu are serious about dealing with corruption. I want to ask how much of these exorbitant salaries were being paid back to the Zanu Party?
No purge has taken place. The culprits all walk free. Nothing has been repaid.
Too little too late Gorden Moyo. My guess is you did not blow the whistle because you would not dare risk your new-found access to the public purse and you had tasted power. You MDC T are complicit to this corruption because you were spectators and witnesses but too cowardly to act decisively. What makes you think that the struggling and long-suffering povo will trust you again for failure? You have been tainted and are damaged goods so keep your comments to yourself. No crying over spilt milk.
Overseas family and friends have been told a while back about putting money under a Zanu government . These thugs think we are bløody stupid. TAKING OTHER PEOPLES MONEY FOR THEIR GAIN. Blatant thieving for the whole world to see. NO MORE. Päsi ne Zanu pasi.
There is no purge. Its all hot air. Noone has or will be prosecuted in the proper sense of the word. Every Minister whose minion is fingered in the corruption scandal will drop everything (even stop attending Parliamentary sittings) to fight tooth and nail to have the minion reinstated( Chombo Style) and threaten the press to supress information. They might even gather a few gullible women( Mujuru style) to spread a bit of propaganda about detractors etc to stop investigations. Only a fool would think this Government gives a toss about reversing the tide of corruption.
Prove me wrong in 5 years