via Muchechetere arrested over ZBC broadcast van | SW Radio Africa by Mthulisi Mathuthu on Friday, March 28, 2014
Suspended ZBC CEO, Happison Muchechetere, was arrested Thursday on allegations that he inflated the price of an Outside Broadcasting (OB) van purchased from a Chinese firm last year.
Police spokesperson Charity Charamba confirmed the arrest saying Muchechetere was also questioned on cases involving tender procedures which occurred during the time he was at the helm of the ZBC. Muchechetere was later released after the police recorded a warned and cautioned statement.
It is alleged that Muchechetere misrepresented that the van was purchased for more than $1 million and yet it cost $100,000. Allegations are that in 2013 Muchechetere connived with officials from a Chinese firm and inflated the figure and fabricated receipts. It is also alleged that he shared the balance with the firm’s officials.
Muchechetere’s arrest comes after Prosecutor General Johannes Tomana said public executives who were recently exposed for earning ‘corrupt salaries’ will not be prosecuted because they had not committed any crimes. Muchechetere was among the first CEOs to be exposed and was forced on leave to pave the way for an audit, after it emerged that he was earning a ‘corrupt salary.’ Reports said between May 2009 and December 2013 Muchechetere pocketed as much as $2.3 million in salaries and allowances.
The MDC-T shadow minister for information Nelson Chamisa said Muchechetere’s arrest was a case of the ‘bigger fish targeting smaller ones.’
He said: ‘Muchechetere is just a small kapenta fish in the very large sea of corrupt enemies. We don’t want a situation where this so-called fight against corruption is reduced into a side show by the sharks targeting smaller fish.’
Last month, Information Minister Jonathan Moyo sounded a thinly veiled warning on what was to befall the suspended ZBC boss. Without mentioning Muchechetere by name Moyo said: ‘We have people who claim to have bought an OB van and they want to pretend that they bought it from Mars and only they know how much it costs. Yet we know that an OB van is just a combi.’
Moyo said this while addressing the Bulawayo Press Club.
COMMENTS
just listen to Nelson, here is a chap who said he was going to resign if Bob did not give him back his ministry.
Has he done anything to expose corruption ,a Big No. Here is a chap who said he needed a merc so people can respect him.
Is he any better than the zany pseudo patriots, A big NO.
The MDC must seriously look inwards now and get rid of the chuff.
We know Zanu is beyond redemption .
we need new leadership now.
Mr so called Roving Ambassador you seem not to know what you want. You are always denouncing MDC leadership but at the same time you talk of getting rid of zanu pf. Which opposition party in Zimbabwe is better than MDC which you think you can help us remove Zanu pf.Tsvangirayi Chamisa are the only answer as of now. Why cant you form your own political party and move on
Chamisa must not be taken seriously. These are some of the Zimbabweans we should learn to ignore what they say so that we maintain our dignities. Remember he is the only guy who only saw God putting Morgan on MDC leadership not the people. Right now he may also be seeing some weird visions that if he talks about them it may shock us.
Roving ambassador, if you really need to liberate us, then come out open and address us .We will not think twice to follow you if we see you have the courage and vision.Just stand up and be counted.Do not castigate Chamisa, at least he is in the game, trying, beaten and abused.You are even hiding behind a seudoname.How can we rely on people who cant eve tell their identities?
Please let us desist from decampaigning each other.Zimbabwe is big.I wish in the next elections Roving ambassador stand for elections in Mt Darwin or any rural constituency.Then you will see how bad Zimbabwean politics is.Lets encourage each other and came up with better ideas to fight a common enemy.Some comments are born out of jelousy.I have seen that people who were at Harare Poly in 1999-2002 are jelousy of Chamisa, same with UZ classes of 1999-2002 jelousy of Job Sikhala
As Zimbabweans lets mature politically.Politics is about the art of leadership.Great Professors do not make great leaders.Thats the tragedy we have in Zimbabwe, people with multiple theoretical degrees, as I call them, cant stomach being led by non degreed.Its about art in leadership.There is much talk about Makoni and Masiiwa, but the truth is they are not bonded to the people.Mugabe stuck to the hearts of rural folks like skin colour.Now we need to decolourise that mentality.
We are together ambassador in the fight against human oppression, but lets give due credit to those who deserve.
Thanks ,Tino , but have I stated any falsehood,? no. why I am stating this is ,we know that Zanu is the enemy and we all agree. But that does not mean we should not keep our house in order incase the Lord comes and we are caught napping. We all know Nathaniel Manheru is Zanu, he knows using a pen name gives him the freedom that he cannot get from Zanu to express his views.
As Roving ,I am free from Zanu and also from any other party.
This freedom enjoyed makes me realise how important it is to fight against human oppression as you pit it.
And to put your mind to rest with regards to the class of 99 and 2002, I was in the trenches with both Zipra and Zanla on the same side, way before .So I know the ins and outs of both organisation .
Tino, I could go on and on. Cheers my brother.
But surely ambassador if you really like change in our country stop denouncing MDC leadership because as of now they are the only hope in town for the suffering Zimbabweans
Cool thanks.We need unity, no matter how diverted and divided we can be.We know the enermy.Its painful that people do no even know their rights now,because basic rights to food, education, health, clean water and other vital facilities has been taken away.People in Ruwa , Budiriro ,Nklumane,Magwegwe, Ascot and other surbubs have accepted to stand in long ques for water.This is pathetic.We need total mass education.When poverty becomes a companion, abundance is treated with caution and deemed a foreign aspect.
Long live the spirit of liberating our people.thanks Mr Rover
Muchechetere is indeed a big fish and a big thief amongst others that Chamisa knows. Therefore his arrest is applauded if it is indeed real. Should he not be arrrested because there are bigger ones?
Chamisa is saying that we want to see more bigger names being arrested. Bigger names than Muchechetere. He means at ministerial level
Asungwa atopika jere zvatopera… Next !! Thief or looter
Sometimes these beatings are carefully side staged so that agents are made to appear like victims so that the public are forced to pity them in order to support these weird individuals under cover.
J Moyo has at least exposed some of the looters within his ministry but Mr Chamisa served under the ministry nearly connected to those looters.I want to repeat that these looters are so stupid and very naive.What was he thinking when he took 90% of the claimed value of the OB van instead of only 10%? These are the actions of a dull and thick person who should be in Chikurubi prison.Mr Chamisa you are supporting the impossible because you are also not politically clever.Think before you utter something in public.
Gossh! I don’t understand this. May those Zimbo geniuses who can understand ‘tongues’ interpret this for me & others of my caliber:
‘The MDC-T shadow minister for information Nelson Chamisa said Muchechetere’s arrest was a case of the ‘bigger fish targeting smaller ones….Muchechetere is just a small kapenta fish in the very large sea of corrupt enemies….the sharks targeting smaller fish.’
Honestly what is this MDC_T former GNU minister saying here? I have lost him completely. All along I have been made to believe MDC_T is a party of excellence. For, which I thought, among other cardinal principles of the party is ‘zero tolerance’ to theft, corruption, etc, of that ever nature & magnitude.
My take on Chamisa’s statement is that small kapenta fish are only engaging in similarly small thieving, corruption, etc, which should simply be ignored.
If he is not saying that, then what is he saying?
To some of us: A thief is a thief and it should be arrested; it is only the measure of punishment that we may complain about as fair or unfair. Finish & klaa.
Please MDC guys you have much better things to do for the country or even for you party than defending zanu pf criminals. I can accept such hogwash from some zanu pf malcontents but not from one of the leaders of a party that prides itself as a party of excellence. No, no, no, think before you speak or act guys.
This reminds me of a few years back (GNU era) when an MDC Home Affairs minister was a talk of the town by her antics of going all over Harare police stations fighting to secure the release of a few well known zanu pf thugs & criminals whilst thousands of innocent MDC activists were languishing in almost all remand prisons & police stations across the country without any notable assistance from same minister. Reading this statement attributed to Chamisa forces me to remember vividly the shameful antics of then MDC top official cum government minister.
Zero tolerance means Zero tolerance. Question is does MDC_T stands for Zero tolerance of looting public funds? If so, how about Chamisa himself – a dissident or what?
Let’s not waste time about this Muchechetere story. Happison, is happily a loyal son of the Mujuru team. Radio and TV will be the best form of selling Mujuru v Munangagwa. Prof Moyo is Munangagwa’s play boy, recall the Tsholotsho declaration. Prof is not worried about corruption or mal-administration at Zbc, instead his desire is to remove a pro-Joice replacing him with a pro Emerson for a tournament dated at Mugabe death day. The same is happening to Dube. Apparently the Tomana boy, being a Joyce blue eyed boy, will not prosecute. Now the battle lines are drawn, it require wiser Roving Ambassadors than the current one to read why Chamisa could not do much as a minister of information. There was no legal and moral background to say Happy-son was earning too much because it was a contractual deal, documented and approved by the big fish. Now, Nelson is saying never mind about the recipient of a fat salary, instead investigate the motive of the big man giving such salary. He is young but wise indeed! I will not easily be foooled by the Moyos of this generation as the roving ambassador easily did, to assume Moyo is a hero serving the Zimbabweans at heart. No, not correct, he has a political motive