via Parly demands accountability at the national indigenisation board | SW Radio Africa by Mthulisi Mathuthu on Tuesday, February 11, 2014
As calls for more corporate accountability intensify, Parliament has ordered the national indigenisation board to submit salary schedules of its top executives.
National Indigenisation and Economic Empowerment Board Chief Executive, Wilson Gwatiringa, appeared before the parliamentary committee last Thursday where he was asked for these details.
According to a Daily News report Mashonaland West Senator Priscah Mupfumira demanded to know who determines the salaries of the indigenisation board’s executives. Mupfumira also demanded to know how much of the organization’s budget is spent on salaries.
Gwatiringa reportedly undertook to provide the requested details but insisted that what he and his team were earning was nowhere nearer the ‘corrupt salaries’ that have recently been reported at various parastatals.
The indigenisation board boss claimed that the organization is broke and needs urgent funding. He revealed that the board received a $2 million allocation from the Treasury out of a requested $10 million in the 2014 national budget.
Apart from government, the board is supposed to get shares from ‘indigenised’ foreign-owned companies. But Gwatiringa told Parliament they were facing ‘resistance and misunderstandings’ from some companies. Gwatiringa further lamented the lack of a legislation allowing them to collect levies, the report said.
In another related issue of public accountability, the Chitungwiza Progressive Residents Association (CHIPRA) says last Friday it sent a letter to the council demanding salary schedules of the top managers. CHIPRA executive member, Fortune Nyamande, told SW Radio Africa that if the council fails to provide the details the association will ask Parliament to summon them.
Nyamande said residents were unhappy with the service delivery from the Chitungwiza Council and they suspected corruption.
Calls for public accountability have intensified recently following revelations of ‘corrupt salaries’ at public institutions such as the Harare City Council, ZBC and the Premier Service Medical Aid Society. CHIPRA confirmed that the move to confront the Chitungwiza council was necessitated by these revelations.
Public anger has heightened, especially after vice President Joice Mujuru publicly attacking the press for revealing these ‘obscene salaries.’ Mujuru’s outburst came soon after local government minister Ignatius Chombo ordered the reappointment of Harare Town Clerk over the salaries issue, soon after his suspension.
COMMENTS
Zanu pf are getting more lost. What is this board for? If you have got legislation saying you will do this,why form a board and then they get broke. Mugabe was right.. he is more British than the British.The British would not go that far. Disband this silly board. Set up a board for disgruntled Zimbabweans and then you are talking sense. We will not even ask for a salary.
In the affluent countries or economies they have mastered the art of voluntarism. Boards are run by volunteer staff who are distinguished professionals in their own right and have paying jobs. They are dedicated but do not demand or expect and remuneration for sharing their talents, gifts or expertise. There is the Board Chair who is normally the CEO, Board Members, Governance, Nominating, Finance & Investment and Board Committees for example that all have specific roles and responsibilities. It is team work so transparent and accountable. I would urge my countrymen and women to adapt some of these practices and structures into the various private, semi-private and public institution Boards. You can download lots of information about setting up, maintaining and running an effective Board from the Internet for free. From what I have seen in Zimbabwe, Board appointments are not made transparently but according to party lines so the same individuals, relatives and their friends benefit at the expense of the rest. Is there an imaginary shortage of honest, competent citizens to make up these Boards? Our country is burning and all we do is watch helplessly. Things have to change.
The thieves in parliament want the thieves in NIEEB to be accountable to them. Is anybody seeing the humour in this? It’s like a sitcom. What are these clowns going to do with 2 mil? Nothing useful or productive that is for sure.
What a joke!
They look so serious and dedicated yet their minds are twisted as they laugh in the faces of the ordinary people from behind the new Merc windscreens.
Now they are making monkeys of themselves by demanding that the sitting allowance for legislators be upped from 75 dollars to 200 per sitting! Quality debates are what we want before increasing their allowances! Get jobs! You are not employed by parliament!