via RadioVop Zimbabwe – Muchechetere Blames Charamba For ZBC Rot 29/03/2014
Suspended Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation (ZBC) chief executive Happison Muchechetere has sensationally accused Secretary for Information, Media and Broadcasting Services George Charamba of playing a central role in the rot at the parastatal by, among other things, imposing unqualified personnel.
The damning allegations are contained in a special audit report where the former ZBC boss was hitting back at criticism levelled against him for the rot at the country’s sole broadcaster.
He made the claims as ZBC yesterday announced its new management team comprising Christopher Chivinge (head of news and current affairs) taking over from Tazzen Mandizvidza, who was reassigned to head of film production, while Josephine Zulu becomes head of radio services.
Muchechetere, who was suspended for allegedly awarding himself and his executive team hefty salary perks while other employees went unpaid for over six months, also blamed government for refusing to pay over $6 million for services rendered.
He was on Thursday quizzed by police over charges of inflating the price of the digital radio outside broadcasting (OB) van equipment acquired from China. He is alleged to have claimed that the equipment cost over $1 million, yet the actual price was slightly over $100 000.
But in the report — titled Addendum to Special Audit Report and Essential Supplementary Audit Issues — seen by NewsDay yesterday, Muchechetere denied the fraud allegations claiming some of the maladministration charges he was being accused of were a result of Charamba’s interference.
He charged that Charamba, who is President Robert Mugabe’s spokesperson, had in 2011 ordered ZBC to re-engage Chivinge as one of the line managers.
He also claimed that Charamba once forced ZBC to donate and fund a gala — which fell outside the diarised government national galas — for youths in his rural home in Buhera.
“Mr C Chivinge’s re-engagement in 2011 was imposed by the permanent secretary for the Ministry of Information even though the candidate had no requisite qualifications to hold the post to date,” he said.
“The board expressed reservations on the imposed re-engagement culminating in a compulsory interview in which certain conditions were set, but none were fulfilled by the candidate.”
According to minutes of the recruitment committee chaired by ZBC acting chief executive officer Allan Chiweshe that included suspended general manager (finance) Elliot Kasu on May 27 2011, Chivinge failed to produce copies of his “O” and “A” Level certificates.
“Mr Chivinge was asked the issue of qualifications where he indicated that he has 10 ‘O’ Level subjects and 10 points ‘A’ Level. Mr Chivinge was asked to produce copies of certificates, but did not have any,” the minutes read.
In 2006, Chivinge was booted out of ZBC following irregularities regarding a trip to China, but was seconded by the Information ministry to Africa World Television Station in Namibia where he worked as editor-in-chief before bouncing back at ZBC in 2011.
On the Buhera gala, Muchechetere claimed: “ZBC drew money without notice from its company financial resources as contribution following (Charamba’s) demand. This was done at a time the parent ministry knew that ZBC staff was in salary arrears. In addition to the monetary donation, ZBC deployed digital six-camera OB van equipment and digital DSNG (satellite uplink) to provide live coverage of the event at ZBC’s cost on top of the donation.”
ZBC finances were also being drained by several labour cases.
Muchechetere said whatever happened at the broadcaster was the collective responsibility of senior managers and he castigated his suspension and that of Kasu as a clear sign of targeted victimisation. “The same spared executives (Mandizvidza and Chiweshe, then general manager for radio services) are management members now presiding over the forensic audit consequently making the whole developments or ZBC saga suspect,” he said.
Muchechetere said ZBC’s woes could be traced back to the legislative reforms in 2001 which led to its commercialisation, thus causing the withdrawal of government capital grants.
He said prior to 2009, ZBC had a block of flats that were disposed of under unclear circumstances.
Charamba was not picking up calls on his mobile phone yesterday, while ZBC spokesperson Gladman Bandama confirmed the new developments saying: “The changes (on Thursday) were made to improve productivity and performance.”
COMMENTS
This was to be expected. They will now start to sell each other. Slowly but surely more will be revealed. We already have the Mliswa Made fight. Zanu pf’s days are numbered. The wolf is trying to eat it’s cubs and the cubs are trying to fight back. The cake can no longer satisfy them all. Muchechetere was once untouchable. Charamba can not claim he wasn’t aware of what was going on. If the likes of Apolitical can not see this then they need their eyes checked. Soon Charamba will also be naked. That is why he wanted to leave his post. He could see the writing on the wall.
Very interesting. Bob will play these chaps against each other until the bump each other off. Look at the way he is playing Gono and Moyo against each other.
All these chaps a ponies in the game ,easily sacrificed . This will keep Mnangagwa and Mujuru at bay.
He knows he is about to die so he has to find protection for Grace and family.
As a profesional, Mchechetere should have resigned if he was ethical to realise his position was being compromised.
You deserve the sacking.
This is very interesting,the holier guy is involved in terrible nepotism and economic sabotage by employing unqualified friends.He is quick in quoting the bible when it involves the EU issues.
Let us hear the whole story from you Mr Muchechetere before they silence you.How did they expect you to run a technical organisation without the appropriately qualified personnel?
I understand your point but a good CEO would have refused to reemploy this guy using the company’s standing orders or resign if they try to force you to carry out wrong and misguided instructions.You failed to do the honourable thing,that is to resign at that time because you got yourself involved in the looting system and fabricating false prices for the OB van.
Both of you should be in jail now.
When does the brake failure start?
Guys, let’s be frank n fair, resigning was not an option. Leaving a job that pays $6m a year simply because he wld have failed to incorporate a CIO in the operations of ZBC? How many companies, both pvt and public has been infiltrated by CIO? How many have resigned as CEOs? How ma banks, churches and parastals are stuffed by CIOs? MDC-N is stuffed by CIOs like Ncube himself, did he resign? It was just a fight btn Mujuru and Mnangagwa where Moyo and charramba are opposing ponies
Well Muchechetere took advantage of those fools and filled his pockets now Charamba saw that he is getting less him,now he will fill his charamba kukundwa Namu chechetere
Charamba has been in one job for too long, makes me wonder his ability to survive outside Mugabe’s soild pants! The King is a malawian zezuru and the rest are his tribesmen; when the frail King passes on, the Shona kingdom will splinter like the days of old wen Mthwakazi arrived! Why worry about wriggling little maggots wen the dying elephant is still in the room? Icho.
Bayethe Mzilikazi.
Ummmmm, Am I the only one that see a problem with a high ranking member of our state broadcaster only having O and A Levels? In private industry these days, a person requires more than that! Even a first degree doesnt cut it in many cases anymore! I say lets get rid of all these unqualified looters and give qualified people a chance! There are many people with masters etc who cant find a job in their field, but we are letting A levels run technical positions like that?? Humbug!
does he have the 0s and theAs?
Zanu will remain the same ,corrupt and morally bankrupt
I see nothing wrong with a person having only O and A levels if he has the experience to handle a senior position.
Paper qualifications are over-rated these days. (I speak as one who does have a degree in a science subject.)