via ‘Zimra boss earns $310k per month’ February 28, 2014 by Veneranda Langa NewsDay
PARLIAMENT yesterday heard that Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (Zimra) commissioner-general Gershem Pasi was reportedly earning a whopping $310 000 per month.
This was disclosed by MDC-T Mbizo MP Settlement Chikwinya while debating on a corruption motion which was moved by Kambuzuma MP Willias Madzimure (MDC-T).
MPs from across the political divide also demanded that Vice-President Joice Mujuru should appear before the House to explain allegations that she wanted to gag the media from reporting on the vice.
The House also demanded that Information, Communication Technology minister Webster Shamu should also appear before the House to give an explanation as to how he acquired a top-of-the-range Toyota Land Cruiser VX8 black vehicle from suspended Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation boss Happison Muchechetere who is currently under probe for sleaze.
During debate, Clerk of Parliament Austin Zvoma was also labelled as corrupt when Chikwinya alleged he had tried to stop the corruption motion from being discussed in the House, but Speaker of the House of Assembly Jacob Mudenda defended Zvoma’s stance, saying he was the ultimate voice when it came to approving motions.
“Corruption cannot be blamed on a political party, but on individuals and we support President Robert
Mugabe for his stance on corruption, but Mugabe now fears that Zimbabwe is a state moving fast into a kleptocracy where corruption is now endemic,” Madzimure said.
Chikwinya chipped in: “If Zimbabwe is ranked the third most corrupt country ahead of countries like Burundi that have no formal structures of government and are run by war lords, then it means we are a failed state.”
Madzimure added: “People with a curable disease like TB are dying because people like former PSMAS CEO Cuthbert Dube was taking his concubines to Malaysia. Parliament is also weakened by individuals who have been running the institution for many years and when we approached Zvoma asking him to give us permission to move the motion he watered it down saying it was not part of Parliament’s mandate to investigate corruption. What is Zvoma trying to hide?”
The MPs later resolved that Parliament should set up a committee to investigate corruption, and every portfolio committee with oversight functions over a ministry should be involved in appointment of parastatal boards. Buhera South MP Joseph Chinotimba divulged he had received an anonymous call suspected to be from one of those implicated in corruption cases asking him to refrain from contributing on the corruption motion for a fee of $500.
Chinotimba, who was visibly angry, had to use an un-parliamentary four letter swear word in anger and was asked to withdraw by the Speaker.
“As war veterans, we lost limbs fighting for this country and most of these people involved in corrupt activities never went to war. How can I sell the country for only $500 when people are stealing as much as $300 000?” Chinotimba queried.
Meanwhile, a probe into operations of community share ownership trusts (Marange, Zimunya and Tongogara) by the Portfolio Committee on Indigenisation said Zanu PF big fish, the National Indigenisation and Economic Empowerment Board and mines interfered in running them.
COMMENTS
How can I sell the country for only $500 when people are stealing as much as $300 000?
Every man has a price. Chinotimba is saying:
– If office is right, he can sell the country
– He feels left out of the looting, he gets peanuts while others have the lions share
Offer him more and he will sell the country.
MASHONA MUNABUGWELE GWEBUBAVA! HAKANI NGANGA MULAPIWE! THE NEW MAKHIWAS ARE ALL CORRUPT!
It would be interesting to find out where he is stashing the cash and if he pays zimra taxes…I believe these people are going to glimse their rear ends very soon.
So Chinotimba is visibly angry he was only offered $500 and not $300 000?
The bald-faced audacity of these ZANUPF crooks is not shocking frankly. They have got away with it for so long and will continue to get away with it.
Zimbabwe is a failed state. ZANUPF has ground it into bankruptcy through unbelievable corruption and mismanagement over 34 years.
Not once have they admitted culpability. ALWAYS someone/something else is to blame-the sanctions, the whites, MDC, the drought,you name it. They are a disgusting lot and have left the country in ruins. What a tragedy that this beautiful country was hijacked by a gang of thugs, murderers and thieves.
What Chinotimba does not know is that he is where he is because of corruption. Its corruption of the highest order to employ a 9 year old and give him all sorts of “nyembe”: Commander-in-Chief this and that? Chinotimba, your qualified job is manning the bridge that crosses Julius Nyerere at night and make sure the street kids do not use it as some form of bush latrine.
This Doushem Pasi earns far more than the mere 310k referred to here. It is well known that you can negotiate your own payments with him at a far lower rate than Zimra charges. If this man is not taking home a million a month it will be surprising. Does he pay paye on the 310k? My guess would be not.
For those of us who feel pain when we pay our taxes knowing that the money is wasted that could have been used to the benefit of our families this confirmation of the injustice being done.
I urge all people to cheat Zimra wherever they can without being caught. You will use your own money better than these thieves.
Pasi has been stealing like a fox for many many years this sly fox made one big mistake he didn’t know when to stop the can of worms has opened
And nobody will do a thing about this, or any other corruption. They will steal everything and still Zimbabweans will moan a bit and do nothing at all.
In South Africa if the water goes off for day there are demonstrations and riots and strikes. In Zimbabwe the chefs steal millions and deliver nothing but the people only moan and wish they could steal too.
What a joke of a nation.
You are absolutely right. A comment I read said Zimbabweans have been manipulated through education. We’ve always got an option and a “classy” deference to the “low” toy-toy
Its no use complaining about these salaries because this is a well orchestrated political move which is made to destroy the country but what I am trying to find out is why a Zimbabwean by all means would do this with total impunity!!Surely,we should not expect international companies to come here and pay their employees 100 times they pay them at their countries.There is no logic in doing that ,therefore I am still working hard to break the hidden agenda here or our government has lost it completely by concentrating in destroying the opposition without realising that they have destroyed themselves in the process.
The well developed countries never pay their CEOs such high salaries,therefore we are really fools to embark on a useless exercise which is killing our economy.Where are you war vets?Your payouts are now like pocket money compared with these guys salaries.They used your misguided actions to get the whole country including the little you got.Food for thought for you all vets.Let them loot with full impunity whilst the minister of Home Affairs concentrate on trivial road blocks.
My question is how much does the SARS boss in South Africa gets? SARS in South Africa is well run, efficient and South Africa is a far better economy compared to Zimbabwe
No-one will ever get punished for corruption by this government. Corruption is the lifeblood of the system of patronage that Mugabe has erected so that he can remain as president for life. Disloyalty is the only sin.
It should not be up to government but the people. What is it about Zimbabweans that makes them so slow to anger? Education? Fear? Stupidity? Timidity? Fatigue? Over-analyses? Trust? Lack of principle?
To put this salary into perspective. Here is the “CEO” of one of the richest countries in the world.
President Barack Obama’s base salary is $400,000 a year. He also has access to a $150,000 expense account as well as a $100,000 tax free travel account and $20,000 entertainment budget.
http://www.therichest.com/celebnetworth/politician/president/barack-obama-net-worth/
http://m.mywage.co.za/main/salary/vip-celebrities-pay/corporate-chiefs-pay
Some of these guys earn more than Google Chairman Eric Schmidt.Google Q1 2013 earnings: $14 billion in revenue, $3.35 billion net income. Thats more than the GDP of Zimbabwe. How then do we support such salaries in our economy.
We do not support,its just stupidity by the authorities.You generate nothing you get more,thus simple stupidity.
Corruption. To be corrupt you must have the thought or capacity to be corrupt. In other words you are by nature corrupt or honest. Zanu have never been honest and so are corrupt.
Until the useless, spineless, whinging cowards,(that make up a large percentage of the people of Zimbabwe,) rise up and take to the streets, this once beautiful country will continue to slip rapidly down the same path as so many African states have done. WHO WILL BE THE FIRST ONE TO PICK UP A STONE AND THROW IT!!! Egypt and Tunisia have done it.
Well said Phys! I think these Comments columns should be discontinued because they make me want to puke each time I go though any one of them; spineless cowards whining, finger-pointing and whinging expecting outsiders (SA, Botswana, SADC, AU,etc.) to rescue them. Where in the world has this ever happened? they must either stand up and take their own freedom or shut up and watch their country slide down to the dogs where they currently belong…
Who told them that the so-called authorities will one day get scared of cowering, mewing and phewing cowards and give them what is rightfully theirs? Who told them that freedom real freedom gets given out in a silver plate? Even the Almighty helps those who help themselves…
Stop using the term “EARNED” ….. they don’t earn it, which suggests some worth or input. They are paid it, which is something totally different.
Read between the lines. They know that their days are numbered so they helping themselves when they can. Do they know something we don’t?
PARLIAMENT yesterday heard that Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (Zimra) commissioner-general Gershem Pasi was reportedly earning a whopping $310 000 per month.
For the last 34 years Mugabe and Zanu PF have denied there was no corruption and this has allowed the problem to balloon complete out of proportion. Now the whole economy has been so serious undermined the regime and the country is overwhelmed!
It seems so noble that there is demand for disclosure as to how some people toys and properties. Please note Grace Mugabe is still purchasing all kinds of properties and toys etc. Is going to be summoned to explain how she got the money, How about Ignatious Chombo. Where did he get all the money? The list goes on and on. We in Zimbabwe have a lot of questions to answer including all the diamonds from Marange.
No wonder Zimbabwe no longer has any decent infrastructure! But what about the rest of taxpayers money, in other politicians pockets?