SW Radio Africa news - The Independent Voice of Zimbabwe

Harare Town Clerk Tendai Mahachi has become the latest public official to be suspended over the salaries saga, in a move seen as part of the ZANU PF government’s attempt to spruce up its image, as well as an indication of factional in-fighting. Mayor Bernard Manyenyeni suspended Mahachi onThursday, for a period of three months, after the town clerk failed to provide the salary and benefits schedule of all Harare City Council senior employees, including his own. But it was revealed in press reports that the salaries of Mahachi and 18 other senior managers totalled $500,000 a month. A Thursday NewsDay report said just one director’s salary of $37,000 was enough to pay the wages of 227 low-earning council workers. On Tuesday Manyenyeni revealed at a press conference that ‘presidential interest’ in the salaries issue began to ‘weigh in’, in December 2013. The revelations are part of the ongoing expose of top public executives’ salaries. ZBC chief executive Happison Muchechetere was the first to go on ‘forced leave’ after it was revealed that he was earning a monthly salary of $40,000. Premier Services Medical Aid Society boss Cuthbert Dube was Monday forced to retire, after it was revealed that he was earning $230,000 a month. Civil society activists have been quick to say these revelations are part of the ZANU PF government’s attempt to clean up its image by appearing to be stamping out corruption. The Harare Residents Trust said it is in ‘no doubt’ that ‘corporate theft and the looting of public resources has the blessing of government officials.’ A statement from the pressure group said that rather than be surprised by these revelations the public must be ‘angry at being taken for granted’ by public officials. But as most of the revelations have been made by the state media, analysts also see the on-going revelations of parastatal mega-salaries as a manifestation of ZANU PF’s in-fighting. SW Radio Africa correspondent Lionel Saungweme said most of the people affected by the purported clampdown on salary scams belong to a faction led by vice president Joice Mujuru. Saungweme said ‘a trend has been set’ where the faction led by justice minister Emmerson Mnangagwa, could claim that it is ‘morally upright and the other one is corrupt.’ Muchechetere is said to be a friend of former information minister Webster Shamu, while the suspended Harare Town Clerk is known to be friends with local government minister Ignatius Chombo. Both Shamu and Chombo belong to the Mujuru faction. Saungweme said the fact that the Herald newspaper was spearheading the campaign against the salary scams showed that the whole thing was about factionalism. The Herald is routinely used by ZANU PF factions to settle scores. On Thursday the paper heaped all the blame for the Town House salaries saga on Mahachi. In a particularly vitriolic attack the paper urged the government to ‘throw all muck at him’ and further accused him of leading a ‘venal clique that cannibalizes the city.’

SW Radio Africa news - The Independent Voice of Zimbabwe

The introduction of four new foreign currencies as legal tender in Zimbabwe has been described as a ‘non-starter’ that could cause chaos in the commercial sector. The Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) announced Wednesday that the Chinese yuan, Japanese yen, Indian rupee and Australian dollar will be accepted, with Zimbabweans and exporters able to open accounts in the various currencies. Zimbabwe’s multi-currency system, adopted in 2009 to override the worthless local dollar, means the US dollar, South African rand, Botswana pula and British pound are already considered legal tender. The majority of Zimbabweans primarily use the US dollar and South African Rand, while import prices are mostly set at the US value. But an increase in trade, mainly with the Eastern market, means more currencies will technically be considered legal tender this year. “Trade and investment ties between Zimbabwe, China, India, Japan and Australia have grown appreciably,” said RBZ acting governor Charity Dhliwayo. Dhliwayo added: “It is against this background of growth in trade and investment ties that in the 2014 national budget, the minister of finance and economic development underscored the importance of including other currencies in the basket of already circulating currencies.” Concern has been raised about the potential chaos this could cause for many Zimbabweans, with cash shortages and fluctuating exchange rates adding to an already difficult economic climate. Most recently, SW Radio Africa reported how Zimbabweans have started abandoning the use of the neighbouring rand, because of its falling value. The potential for more chaos is now high, with multiple currencies and exchange rates posing fresh challenges for the average trader. Economist John Robertson told SW Radio Africa that the “whole idea will fall very flat,” with the majority of people, who will likely keep using the US dollar.“We don’t need these other currencies. The country prices most of its imports and exports in US dollars and that is what people want to be paid in. The only exception is the rand, especially in the southern part of the country,” Robertson said. He added that the potential confusion for local traders means it is unlikely that the other currencies will be welcome. The economist explained that on top of valuing their items according to the new currencies, most traders would eventually have to convert the money into US dollars anyway. They would then have to pay an additional conversion fee at the banks, in order to pay for new goods imported using the US value. “So I think most traders will be very annoyed if people start using the new currencies, and I think you’ll see in a few months that people will say it’s not working,” Robertson said. Economic analyst Vince Musewe meanwhile agreed that the average Zimbabwean is unlikely to be affected much by this development, because the preferred currency will remain the US dollar. He said the basis for the RBZ decision was driven by the government’s ‘Look East’ policy.“The idea is that it makes it more attractive for them (Eastern traders) to come to Zimbabwe and do business in Zimbabwe. So for example someone from China, which is a major investor at the moment, can come to Zimbabwe and use their own currency,” Musewe said. He said the changes will likely only be seen at Chinese markets and shops, but for general Zimbabwean traders “their way of doing business is not going to change because people will still use the US dollar.”

SW Radio Africa news - The Independent Voice of Zimbabwe

The Harare Municipality Medical Aid Society (HMMAS) is unable to take care of its members because the city’s management has failed to remit to it medical aid subscriptions, amounting to as much as $6m, the state media reported Friday. This has gone on for two years and is despite the fact that the council is deducting subscriptions from the workers’ salaries, the Herald reported. The report said the bungling by Town House has seen council workers, some of whom have not been paid for three months, forced to pay cash upfront for medical treatment. Harare Municipal Workers Union chairperson, Cosmas Bungu, confirmed the workers’ plight. Bungu said doctors are turning workers away telling them that they owe money. An unnamed HMMAS official is quoted attributing the problem to the treasury department which is said to be acting on ‘directives’ to divert the medical aid subscriptions. This development follows revelations earlier this week that the city’s top managers are earning mega-salaries, with a single director taking home a salary that could pay as many as 227 low-earning council workers. Harare Mayor Bernard Manyenyeni confirmed the state of affairs. He is quoted in the report saying there is no excuse for the current situation and medical aid subscriptions ‘must not be diverted.’

SW Radio Africa news - The Independent Voice of Zimbabwe

First Lady Grace Mugabe has grabbed more land belonging to Interfresh’s Mazoe Citrus Estate, according to the Zimbabwe Independent newspaper. The president’s wife has seized a further 800 hectares in addition to the 1,600 hectares she grabbed last year from Interfresh, on the pretext that she was expanding her orphanage, located nearby. The Independent reported how three years ago, prospective homeowners who had bought stands from the Mazoe Rural District Council in 1998 were evicted to pave way for Grace’s orphanage. There are indications that Grace is still eyeing more of the estate’s land, part of which was grabbed by Environment Minister Saviour Kasukuwere 10 years ago. Grace and her husband President Robert Mugabe are multiple farm owners whose land grab spree two years ago displaced 50 families who had been resettled at Manzou Game Reserve. Her first son Russell recently grabbed Tolrose Mine in Kadoma. Political analyst Leslie Dube, who visited the Mazoe area recently, said there was land around the orphanage that Grace could have occupied. “It’s disgusting. She did not have to go for more of the Interfresh land because the company has been in trouble for some time now. The more land she takes, the more people will be rendered jobless.“So her land grab is not being driven by the love of the ordinary person or these orphans. It is pure greed,” Dube added. Interfresh last year said the portion allocated to the Mugabes’ represented 46% of Mazoe Citrus Estate’s total arable land, meaning 30% of its budgeted revenue for the financial year 2013 was lost. They have since lodged an appeal with the Ministry of Lands and Rural Resettlement, the Independent said. The Mugabes already own Highfield Farm in Norton, Gushungo Dairy in Mazowe and are also linked to land belonging to a posh school along Borrowdale road, in Harare.

SW Radio Africa news - The Independent Voice of Zimbabwe

The credibility of the African Union (AU) is being questioned after Robert Mugabe was this week appointed to a top position, which puts him in line to take over the AU chairmanship next year. Mugabe, who turns 90 years old next month, was elected First Vice-Chair of the influential AU executive council. The appointment makes him eligible for the chairmanship of the AU in 2015. The ZANU PF leader also takes over the SADC chairmanship later this year, a role which will coincide with his potential appointment to the AU chair next year. If this happens, Africa’s key leadership institutions will effectively be controlled by Mugabe. Arthur Gwagwa from the Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum described the developments in Africa as “theatre of the absurd.” He told SW Radio Africa on Friday that the move is an indication of Africa’s “belligerent attitude towards the West.”“Africa wants to confront western countries, and what better way than to put Mugabe in the leadership. This will give him a more powerful voice and pedestal to shout at the West,” Gwagwa said. Mugabe’s appointment reportedly renders “futile” a decision by the European Union (EU) not to invite him to a summit of the two blocs set for Belgium in April. A similar summit between the US and Africa had also not included Mugabe on its invite list, a decision that now puts the US and the AU at loggerheads.“The AU is more like a club for old boys, so one of the things we have observed is that the AU and SADC tend to put relationships before principles,” Gwagwa said. The analyst stated that the development should provide the US and the EU with an opportunity to reflect on its relationships with Africa. Western nations are not only providing the bulk of financial aid to African states, but also financially supporting blocs like SADC and the AU. “I think this presents an opportunity for Western countries to listen to what civil society has been saying, that the people (they) are dealing with are not who they say they are. Particularly now when the EU is softening its stance on Zimbabwe” Gwagwa said. He continued: “This should remind Europe of our message that all is not well in Zimbabwe, that we need to adhere to democratic principles and human rights.”

SW Radio Africa news - The Independent Voice of Zimbabwe

MDC-T deputy treasurer-general, Elton Mangoma, was on Friday censured by the national executive for taking the leadership renewal debate outside party structures. Following an ‘explosive’ meeting in Harare, it was agreed Mangoma will be spared from further disciplinary action as the party didn’t want to be seen trampling on his freedom of expression. Others, led by the combative Charlton Hwende, the executive member in charge of Mashonaland West province, wanted Mangoma charged for putting the party’s name in disrepute by issuing statements to the media. According to insiders the meeting managed to heal the rift which threatened to split the MDC-T. The tense showdown came after Mangoma wrote a letter to Tsvangirai asking him to step down. But in a slapdown, Tsvangirai dismissed the proposal, sparking the latest fissures in the labour backed party. Tsvangirai gave Mangoma time to explain his position paper on why he wanted him to step down. But at times Mangoma was heckled during his 30 minute brief. Some in the meeting sympathized with Mangoma and moved a motion not to punish him, a position the party eventually took. Party spokesman Douglas Mwonzora told SW Radio Africa the issue at stake was whether Mangoma was allowed to speak to the media regarding party issues, especially the leadership renewal. ‘The consensus in the meeting was that he was not authorized. Party members can only speak to the media if they get clearance from the spokesman, especially when people want to discuss internal issues outside party structures,’ Mwonzora said. He added; ‘We don’t worry much when leaders give their opinions, but we get concerned when leaders go to the media and speak about internal issues. That is wrong.’ The outcome of the meeting came as a relief to many party activists who feared Mangoma’s letter to Tsvangirai last week would trigger yet another acrimonious split. Meanwhile all is not well in ZANU PF’s Midlands province as members aligned to Justice Minister Emmerson Mnangagwa’s faction have said the party there will remain unmanageable until irregularities that marred the disputed provincial elections held in November last year are resolved. The weekly Zimbabwe Independent paper reported that a senior party official in the province called on the politburo to reconsider its decision to endorse the provincial polls, which were marred by accusations of vote-buying, intimidation, disenfranchisement and ballot-rigging. Last week the party’s commissariat dissolved the Midlands provincial executive, after top party officials stormed out of a tense meeting a fortnight ago as members from the two main factions, led by Mnangagwa and Vice-President Joice Mujuru, failed to resolve contentious faction-related issues.

SW Radio Africa news - The Independent Voice of Zimbabwe

The sacked boss of the Premier Service Medical Aid Society Cuthbert Dube’s monthly income was half-a-million dollars, twice what was initially reported. Dube was forced to retire Monday, amid state media reports that his yearly earnings totalled $6.4 million. His monthly pay cheque is $100,000 more than American President Barack Obama’s annual salary of $400,000. Press reports indicate that Dube and 14 other PSMAS executives were earning a combined annual wage of $18 million. “With $18 million we can run Mpilo Hospital efficiently for 18 months,” a senior official at the country’s third largest health centre told SW Radio Africa Friday. The Herald newspaper names the 14 executives as Ernest Gwinyai, Enock Chitekedza, Richard Mutasa, Cosmas Mukwesha, Juliana Sabarauta, Mavis Gumbo, Nicholas Munyonga, Augustine Khoza, Raphael Paradzayi, Joice Munyoro, Getrude Tsiga, Barbara Melusi, Fungai Nyamuzinga and Thomas Hama. Their salaries were approved by the PSMAS board chaired by Meisie Namasasu, who has since been dismissed. An executive at the indebted society has announced that executive salaries will be slashed, with the chief executive’s salary now pegged at $60,000 a month – which is still almost double the American President’s salary. The executive also said they have reduced the company’s debt to medical service providers from $38 million to $13.9 million. Most service providers have reportedly blacklisted PSMAS, with health institutions demanding cash payments from the society’s members. As fresh details continue to emerge about the rot at these quasi-state institutions, observers doubt that the current revelations in the public media are driven by a genuine desire by the ZANU PF government to crack down on corruption. “The salaries and the gross maladministration at parastatals, that the State media are reporting, have been revealed by the private media before, and ZANU PF has not taken action,” former journalist Kumbirai Mafunda told SW Radio Africa Friday.“Anomalies such as the lack of proper corporate governance at these State-controlled institutions are clearly raised as concerns in the Comptroller-General’s 2011 audit report.“So I struggle to believe that those in the public media and the government have discovered these things and are genuinely cracking down on corruption. They knew all along,” Mafunda added. Many political observers believe that on-going public media crusade is just ZANU PF factionalism playing itself out in the public domain. Emmerson Mnangagwa and Joice Mujuru lead ZANU PF’s two factions, and Information Minister Jonathan Moyo who presides over the State media, belongs to the Mnangagwa camp.“A closer look at what’s going on shows that the ZANU PF faction controls the State media and is stage-managing the publicity.“So the revelations are one way or another serving the interests of a faction and whether or not the State media will sustain them will depend on the tenure and authority of the faction that controls the media,” Mafunda said.

SW Radio Africa news - The Independent Voice of Zimbabwe

Zimbabweans are being urged to speak out and demand that corrupt officials be made to account for their actions, as drama intensified over the Harare Mayor’s decision to suspend the town clerk, Tendai Mahachi. The call came from Sesel Zvidzai, the MDC-T shadow Minister for Local Government, who on Monday criticized Local Government Minister Ignatius Chombo for interfering in council affairs by reinstating Mahachi. Mayor Bernard Manyenyeni suspended Mahachi last Thursday, saying the town clerk had refused to comply with a council resolution that required him to provide the salary schedules of top council employees, including his own. The Mayor said the three month suspension had been done according to the Urban Councils Act. But less than 48 hours later, Local Government Minister Ignatius Chombo told reporters that Mahachi had been reinstated. Speaking to reporters on Saturday, Chombo said: “He has explained to the Mayor and he has also apologized. The Mayor has accepted the apology and I was referee. The Mayor has accepted the apology”. The Mayor, who was at the press conference, immediately disagreed with Chombo and insisted the suspension had not been reversed. “Minister I beg to differ on that one. I think we need to engage further. I think lets capitalize on the good will that is existing so far and find a way forward but for now it would be remiss of me to accept that we have reversed that decision,” said the Mayor to Chombo.“The local government Minister is acting illegally. The employer at the City of Harare is the Council, headed by the Mayor. If the Mayor is not happy with one of the operatives as is the case in this event, he is entitled to deal as he did with Mahachi,” Zvidzai told SW Radio Africa. He said Mahachi had shown incompetence and a disregard for rules and regulations by refusing to comply with council orders over the issue of salaries. Zvidzai said Mahachi’s salary, which was reportedly $13,000 as of March last year, was found to be the highest in the region for his kind of job, in a study done by the MDC-T back in 2010. Some media reports said Mahachi may have earned as much as $37,000 per month.“It’s not about political parties. It’s about a corrupt lot who are benefiting from us allowing them to do so by not acting. The people of Harare, the people of Zimbabwe should rise and say look we won’t have this,” Zvidzai explained. He said Mayor Manyenyeni had shown the way, but he cannot do it alone.

SW Radio Africa news - The Independent Voice of Zimbabwe

Senior ZANU PF officials were the major beneficiaries of the farm mechanisation scheme which was supposed to assist new farmers. The Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe launched the scheme in 2007 to help the country’s newly-resettled farmers with farm implements on a rent-to-buy basis. But the scheme – one of controversial ex-central bank boss Gideon Gono’s quasi-fiscal activities – turned out to be another avenue through which ZANU PF gurus received free implements such as tractors, planters, harrows and combine harvesters. A Monday report in the privately-run NewsDay newspaper says more than 100 public officials linked to ZANU PF in Mashonaland East received equipment worth millions of Zim dollars between 2007 and 2008. Some notable names on the list include the late ex-agric Minister Kumbirai Kangai, Higher Education Minister Olivia Muchena, Harare province official Noah Mangondo, ex-Chitungwiza Mayor Joseph Macheka, Chikomba East legislator Edgar Mbwembwe and the late David Karimanzira. Justice Paddington Garwe received $3.5 million, ex-mayor Macheka $7.8 million, and Sithembile Makamba $178 million. The latest list was reportedly leaked by central bank officials after a parliamentary portfolio committee on public accounts demanded to know the details of the beneficiaries. Last year, ex-governor Gono refused to reveal the names of those who had benefitted from the US$200 million scheme when challenged by legislators. Gono however said the scheme had contributed to the Reserve Bank’s $1 billion debt, after chiefs and politicians failed to pay for the equipment. A loan facility launched by the parastatal the Grain Marketing Board in 2012, and meant to help new farmers with inputs such as seed, fertilizers and chemicals, has been similarly looted by ZANU PF officials. Also looted by senior ZANU PF politicians has been the youth empowerment fund launched two years ago by the youth ministry and partly-funded by investment firm Old Mutual. In the health sector, hospital executives have been accused of flouting tender procedures in exchange for kick-backs, among other fraudulent activities. The dodgy hospital deals have so far cost the government at least $5 million, according to the State-run Sunday Mail newspaper. Officials at major health institutions Parirenyatwa, Harare Central, Mpilo, Ingutsheni, United Bulawayo Hospitals, Chitungwiza, Masvingo and Mutare Provincial were involved. The scam was uncovered during an audit into hospitals’ tendering processes and how these institutions had used millions of dollars received from Treasury to finance the ailing health sector. The probe team found evidence that tender procedures were flouted, “prices inflated and the whole process was laden with corrupt activities resulting in government losing millions of dollars.” At Harare Hospital, a public works project which should have cost $118,203 was inflated to $270,134. At Bulawayo’s Mpilo Hospital two senior officials inflated the cost of a heat extractor from R48,000 to R248,000. Political analyst Rejoice Ngwenya says these corruption dossiers are nothing new because greed has been part of the ZANU PF since 1980. “Corruption is endemic in ZANU PF,” Ngwenya said.“These scandals started in the 1980s when we had the Pawenis and the Willowgate (motor) scandal, the Grain Marketing Board scandal.“If ZANU PF President Robert Mugabe was ever serious about ending corruption, he wouldn’t have abandoned his 1980s leadership code which was aimed at stamping out corruption,” Ngwenya added. Ngwenya said it will take another generation of leaders to eradicate the rot that has taken root in government enterprises because ZANU PF can never be expected to act against itself. He added that even where there is evidence of corruption and fraud, executives at parastatals will not be reprimanded because most of them were appointees put in these bodies to facilitate looting by ZANU PF officials. “That is why these guys have been defiant. State broadcaster boss Happison Muchechetere said ‘so what’ when reports of serious maladministration emerged.“Cuthbert Dube is refusing to go (from medical aid society PSMAS) and now Harare Town Clerk Tendai Mahachi has been reinstated.“These are official representatives of ZANU PF in these institutions and no action will be taken against them.” Despite the existence of an anti-corruption commission in the country, Ngwenya said there was little hope that the body can function effectively in the country. “Because of the cronyism that pervades the justice system in the country, the commission will not be allowed to do its work as we saw recently when the watchdog tried to probe mining sector corruption,” Ngwenya added.

SW Radio Africa news - The Independent Voice of Zimbabwe

ZANU PF factionalism is in full focus following a report that justice minister, Emmerson Mnangagwa, is allegedly in a secret deal with the security service chiefs to take over as the leader of the country after President Robert Mugabe. The report, which analysts see as a plant by a faction led by Mnangagwa, appeared in the Telescope News last Friday. The report claimed that the deal was cut between the army and other security service chiefs in January following a ‘gentlemen’s agreement’ between Mugabe and Mnangagwa. The report quotes an unnamed senior army officer ‘working close with the Chief of Staff in Harare’ confirming the development. According to the official, Mnangagwa was ‘secretly sworn in’ at an ‘intensive meeting’ held at Mugabe’s residence. Mugabe is reported to have consented to the deal. The report seeks to give the impression that the alleged deal had already put paid to vice president Joice Mujuru’s hopes of becoming the next leader. Mugabe, the report further claimed, then pleaded that there should be no retribution against Mujuru because that will destroy the party. Mujuru was largely seen as the favorite to take over from Mugabe after her faction won more provinces during ZANU PF elections last year. At the time analysts warned that Mnangagwa was capable of launching a fight back. Already many see the ZANU PF factional infighting as the main driver of the current exposés on public officials’ mega-salaries. So far most of the people affected by the exposés are said to be linked to a faction led by Mujuru, leading to beliefs that the Mnangagwa faction is instigating the whole exercise. A ZANU PF politburo member, who claimed not to be aligned to any faction, is quoted saying Mnangagwa is ‘cunning’ and will get it ‘right this time’. The politburo member said the issue is a ‘credible fact’ and only ‘deaf or dumb’ people still don’t know that Mnangagwa is the next president. According to the report, China also has an interest in Mnangagwa taking over from Mugabe. The Asian giant has many business interests in the country including in diamond mining and agriculture where they have joint ventures with the army. On the other hand the CIO are said to suspect that Mujuru has connections with western intelligence. A WikiLeaks report of a few years ago said Mujuru secretly met with former US envoy Charles Ray in 2009. But political analyst and newspaper columnist Dumisani Nyongolo Nkomo, said in no way would Mugabe agree to Mnangagwa’s deal with the army. He said Mugabe could be interested in strengthening the Mnangagwa faction to counter Mujuru’s faction, which emerged victorious during the party’s elections last year. Nkomo said it is possible that the report was generated by the Mnangagwa faction to give the impression that it had the backing of the army. Nkomo said he sees the report and the ongoing revelations on public executives’ salaries as part of a fight back by the Mnangagwa faction.

SW Radio Africa news - The Independent Voice of Zimbabwe

Cuthbert Dube, the retired Premier Service Medical Aid Society (PSMAS) chief executive officer, has effectively been a ‘squatter’ at the six storey PSMAS building in central Harare since he was dismissed from his highly paid job last week. Dube got the sack when it was discovered that he earned half a million dollars every month, almost twice the $230,000 initially reported, when his generous allowances were factored in. The veteran administrator received allowances equivalent to his monthly basic salary of $230,000 plus a bonus of over $1 million. This brought his annual earnings in 2013 to $6.4 million. But the mega rich former boss has been refusing to vacate his position. Despite being shown the exit door, Dube has defiantly remained at his post, with the Daily News reporting that the PSMAS board last week Thursday convened a special meeting to try and come up with ways to have the former CEO vacate his office. The paper said when they visited the PSMAS headquarters Dube, now dubbed ‘Cashbert’, was still in his office. Political analyst Mutsa Murenje told SW Radio Africa on Monday that Dube had built an aura of invincibility around him and his allies and that his dominance means people will struggle to challenge his powers. The Herald reported on Monday that Dube could also own as much as 20 percent of a key subsidiary of the enterprise, an official close to the firm has revealed. The paper said a new board is investigating how Dube allegedly came to own 20 percent of PSMI, which is the PSMAS investment arm. ‘The board would like to know how such a huge stake fell into the hands of one employee and whether the equity was paid for or was part of his incentives package,’ the paper added.‘This is a man who has been fired and continues to report for work as if nothing has happened,’ said Murenje, amid reports even board members and cabinet ministers were not comfortable dealing with his case as they reportedly benefitted from his benevolence. Murenje said government must keep a tight lid on state run institutions if they wanted to restore some sanity into the parastatals, whose CEO’s are receiving astronomical perks and bloated salaries. Dube is also the chairman of the Zimbabwe Football Association, ZIFA, and as chair of the ZBC is known to have facilitated the Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation CEO Happison Muchechetere’s hefty package, amounting to over $40,000 a month as workers wallowed in poverty. But Information Minister Jonathan Moyo has moved in to shield Dube from the ZBC scandal, saying he has been punished enough. Moyo said Dube had done nothing illegal and that ‘making a wrong decision or taking a wrong decision is not illegal – it gets you fired.’

SW Radio Africa news - The Independent Voice of Zimbabwe

The African Union (AU) has threatened to withdraw from a planned trade and investment summit with the European Union (EU), if the Western bloc does not invite Robert Mugabe. Mugabe, who turns 90 years old this month, was elected First Vice-Chair of the influential AU executive council during last week’s General Assembly meeting in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The appointment makes him eligible for the chairmanship of the AU in 2015. The appointment also reportedly renders “futile” a decision by the EU not to invite him to a summit of the two blocs set for Belgium in April. The ZANU PF leader remains targeted under the EU’s list of restrictive measures, which prevents him and a handful of other ZANU PF officials from European travel. But Africa’s leaders have now rallied behind Mugabe, whose position as President remains disputed by civil society groups and the opposition MDC parties in Zimbabwe. According to the Zambian Foreign Affairs Minister, Wylbur Simuusa, the AU resolved to snub the EU summit if Mugabe is not invited. “We must now speak with one voice and make sure we act in the interest of Africa. That is why for the EU-Africa summit coming up, where Zimbabwe has been singled out with restrictions for President Robert Mugabe from attending, the position that the AU has taken is that if Zimbabwe won’t go, then Africa will not go and that has been agreed upon,” Simuusa said. Zimbabwe’s Foreign Affairs Minister Simbarashe Mumbengegwi also confirmed the position taken by the AU on his return from Ethiopia on Saturday. The EU has in recent months been steadily re-engaging with the ZANU PF regime, despite the widespread reports of vote rigging and other irregularities that marred the Zim elections last year. This re-engagement has included removing the majority of its targeted Zim restrictions, with only Mugabe, nine other people and one company still listed. EU leaders will be meeting later this month to determine if the remaining measures should also be lifted, and there is speculation that this will be the ultimate decision from Europe. UK based Zimbabwean activist Ephraim Tapa told SW Radio Africa that the EU has likely been engineering Mugabe’s acceptance back into diplomatic circles, “because there is a fight for access to Zimbabwe’s natural resources.” Belgium, Europe’s diamond trade capital, successfully led the push for the lifting of measures that barred it from trading in Zimbabwe’s controversial Chiadzwa diamonds. Tapa said similar “greedy” motives might have engineered Mugabe’s promotion to a top leadership position at the AU.“The AU position was expected since they endorsed Zimbabwe’s elections without saying the process was fair, so now they are trying to normalise the abnormal. But the EU position goes against international principles of human rights, and it is all about diamonds,” Tapa said. Former Chegutu farmer turned activist Ben Freeth said the developments in Africa were a real concern for democracy and human rights across the continent. Freeth, who has led key legal battles against Mugabe, told SW Radio Africa that the AU’s defense of Mugabe in this way is “preposterous.”“It is preposterous that a man who has committed genocide, who has destroyed the rule of law, destroyed his own country’s economy, who has been the cause of a quarter of the population leaving the country because of what he has done, is elected by other African leaders to a top position,” Free said. He added: “Africa can’t progress when its leaders are dictators. And to say a man is great and give him such power on the basis of what he has destroyed, is very concerning for Africa’s future,” Freeth said. Meanwhile, the AU has also urged its members to unite to protect more of its fellows in preventing criminal proceedings at the International Criminal Court against sitting presidents. The AU said it was disappointed that a request to the UN Security Council to defer the trials of Kenya’s leaders “has not yielded the positive result expected”. The African Union also has sought the deferral of criminal proceedings against Sudan’s President Omar al-Bashir, who has been charged with genocide in Darfur. Kenya’s President Uhuru Kenyatta and his deputy William Ruto face charges of crimes against humanity at the international court at The Hague for allegedly orchestrating post-election violence that killed more than 1,000 people following a disputed presidential election in late 2007. Both men deny the charges.

SW Radio Africa news - The Independent Voice of Zimbabwe

ZANU PF ministers continue to show disdain for Parliament by not attending question and answer sessions, reports said Tuesday.

A Daily News report said only Mines Minister Walter Chidhakwa was present in the Senate chamber for last Thursday’s session, leading to complaints even from some ZANU PF Senators. Senators were forced to restrict their questions to Chidhakwa only.

Only two weeks ago twenty-one questions on the Parliament’s Order Paper were deferred after several ministers failed to turn up for the question and answer session. According to reports this led to an outcry from some MDC MPs who accused the ZANU PF ministers of not taking parliamentary business seriously.

But it appears the ministers still feel no scruples about skipping Parliament, something which has also angered even fellow ZANU PF members.

Last week ZANU PF Senator for Manicaland, Monica Mutsvangwa, expressed her disappointment over the non-attendance of ministers and asked Senate President Edna Madzongwe, to tell the ministers to attend future sessions. According to the Daily News report Madzongwe promised to take up the matter with the leader of the House and Justice Minister Emmerson Mnangagwa.

Ironically, Mnangagwa was in defiant mood over the issue a fortnight ago. On being told by Nelson Chamisa, the MDC-T MP for Kuwadzana, that the absconding ministers were underperforming, Mnangagwa fired back saying it was not the duty of the MDC-T to rate ministers.

Ministers are expected to answer questions from MPs in the National Assembly on Wednesday and Thursday in the Senate. But according to veteran parliamentary reporter Chengetai Zvauya, ZANU PF ministers openly show their disinterest in observing the procedure. Zvauya told SW Radio Africa that leading culprits in the trend of avoiding the parliamentary question time are Local Government Minister Ignatius Chombo, Information Minister Jonathan Moyo and Nicholas Goche who is the Minister of Transport.

SW Radio Africa news - The Independent Voice of Zimbabwe

Unusually heavy rains have caused havoc across much of Bulawayo, damaging houses and roads but have most importantly improved the dire water situation in the city.

Our correspondent Lionel Saungweme told us above normal rains caused widespread flooding and damage to several homes, particularly in the high density suburbs of Magwegwe and Luveve.

The heavy rains have also increased the inflow into the reservoirs and dams that supply Bulawayo with water. The improvement in the water position in the city had brought cheer to the residents and the farming community.

The Bulawayo city council announced it has lifted water restrictions with immediate effect following significant inflows into the city’s six supply dams.

Saungweme said in some parts of the city there were traffic jams due to waterlogging as vehicles had to negotiate flooded streets after choked drains flooded the road network.

Residents and pedestrians were seen wading through streets flooded by rain and overflowing drains.

‘Council had just repaired most of the roads and the flooding has damaged the same roads again,’ Saungweme said.

Elsewhere ten villagers in Gutu East district were airlifted by an Airforce of Zimbabwe helicopter after they spent over six hours marooned at a flooded Ruti Dam on Sunday. The villagers from Chitsa and Gudza communal lands spent over six hours on top of trees.

Reports say they were picking up fish falling from the flooded dam wall, as heavy rains continue to pound Masvingo, one of the provinces experiencing long periods of extremely hot weather and dry conditions.

On Saturday, a couple in Chiredzi spent the whole night on top of rocks after they were also marooned in Mungwezi River. Jayson Mavuvu and his wife Esther Bhunu were marooned while they were coming back from their in-laws.

SW Radio Africa news - The Independent Voice of Zimbabwe

A Mwenezi District Administrator was last week convicted for assaulting a handicapped white commercial farmer, whom he later evicted from his farm, the Daily News reported Monday.

According to the report Masvingo magistrate Oliver Mudzongachiso, found Stanley Chamisa guilty of assaulting William Strander and fined him $80. Chamisa’s son, Watson, was acquitted for lack of evidence.

The report said the assault took place while Chamisa was evicting the farmer off his property under the so-called land reform programme.

The case against Chamisa was that on October 27th last year he and his son, accompanied by two police officers, drove to Strander’s homestead at Benjani Ranch Farm. They are said to have met Strander driving in the opposite direction and stopped him. When Strander refused to drive back to his homestead the DA then insulted his victim and punched him.

Chamisa was later restrained by police officers after he allegedly tried to pick up a boulder in an attempt to smash Strander’s car. The farmer sustained injuries on the neck and the arm and had to be treated at Masvingo General Hospital. He reported the matter to the police, leading to Chamisa’s arrest.

Strander has since approached the Constitutional Court over the seizure of his farm.

SW Radio Africa news - The Independent Voice of Zimbabwe

The Combined Harare Residents Association (CHRA) on Tuesday lambasted Local Government Minister Ignatius Chombo for his ‘unwanted interference’ with the affairs of the city council.

The association warned the Minister to back off or residents will take to the streets for peaceful protests and a massive rates boycott.

CHRA chairperson Simbarashe Moyo told journalists in Harare that Chombo is complicit in underhand dealings and scandals that continue to affect service delivery in Harare.

Residents in the capital have been irked by Chombo’s decision to order Harare Mayor Bernard Manyenyeni to rescind his earlier decision to suspend Town Clerk, Tendai Mahachi, for his failure to comply with a directive to provide a salary schedule for council’s top management.

‘A big man like Chombo is feeding off public funds that should otherwise be used to develop the social service delivery in Harare. It is a matter of public record that Chombo has been accused of abusing his authority to acquire large pieces of land from the city of Harare,’ said Moyo.

He warned that the residents will not sit by and watch the plunder of public resources to satisfy the unsuitable appetite of a few managers who are gobbling up over $500,000 at the expense of social services.

Moyo continued; ‘These salaries are not only obscene but show we live in a sick society where public officials are appointed on party political lines and allowed to abuse their positions with impunity.’

CHRA vowed to put an end to all the corruption by demanding a statement that details the salaries and packages of the top management within 7 days, as it was in the public interest for the figures to be known publicly.

‘The Mayor and councillors must insist on the successful implementation of investigations of the issue of salaries at Town House and the Local Government Minister must ensure, within a reasonable timeframe, produce a revised and modest salary bill for top management,’

If these demands are not met CHRA said they will call for a massive rates boycott and file an urgent High Court application to block the payment of public officials until the matter has been resolved

‘We will also mobilise for peaceful protests until these demands are met,’ said Moyo.

SW Radio Africa news - The Independent Voice of Zimbabwe

A suspected purge in the faction riddled ZANU PF party is set to claim more individuals, after reports of massive corruption at the state run Marange Resources diamond mining firm.

A report by the Herald newspaper, which has been publishing a series of exposés laying bare the corrupt activities of many ZANU PF members, has this week claimed that millions of dollars has been pilfered by management at Marange Resources. The newspaper claimed that the government was “prejudiced of millions of dollars as management raised inflated procurement receipts and pocketed the difference.”

Marange Resources is one of seven firms mining at the controversial Chiadzwa diamond fields, where hundreds of millions of dollars owed to the government has been unaccounted for. This has allegedly been a result of illicit diamond trading, with profits said to be lining the pockets of top ZANU PF officials.

Marange Resources is wholly government owned, and run by a former army Colonel and ZANU PF politburo member Tshinga Dube, who is also the head of the Zimbabwe Defence Industries.

He is now among the top management officials sent on forced leave to make way for an investigation at the firm. The Herald reported that the management there allegedly inflated the figures of purchased equipment to “alarming levels,” pocketing the difference. Quoting “insiders” the newspaper also claimed that other parastatals were involved in a network of corrupt deals.

Mines Minister Walter Chidhakwa last month ordered a probe into the firm’s operations following allegations of malpractice, poor corporate governance and non-compliance with laid down procedures. The audit team is expected to submit their report with revelations of the abuse of funds to the minister at the end of this week.

James Mupfumi, the acting Director of the Centre for Research and Development (CRD), said the corruption and illicit activity at Marange Resources was not surprising, adding: “The surface has just been scratched.”

“All the companies operating at Chiadzwa are involved in this kind of activity so they should be made to stop their operations and a full investigation must be started to determine how they got mining licenses and who is benefitting,” Mupfumi said.

This latest report in the traditionally ZANU PF aligned Herald newspaper has further fuelled speculation that infighting in the ruling party is the real reason for the reports.

Officials mainly linked to the Joice Mujuru faction in the party have so far been targeted in the exposés, including the Marange Resources CEO. Retired colonel Dube was a close friend and ally of Solomon Mujuru, Joice Mujuru’s late husband.

Alouis Munyaradzi Chaumba from the Anti-Corruption Trust of Southern Africa (ACT-SA) told SW Radio Africa that whatever political mileage is being gained by the media reports will not impact on the real problem of corruption in Zimbabwe.

“I don’t believe there is the political will to stamp out corruption in Zimbabwe, and the actions right now are just lip service,” Chaumba said.

He added: “It is just a smokescreen to hoodwink Zimbabweans into believing they are doing something about corruption. Mark my words, in a month you’ll see no one will be arrested and nothing will have changed.”

To contact this reporter email [email protected] or follow on Twitter

SW Radio Africa news - The Independent Voice of Zimbabwe

ZANU PF has seized total control of all grain coming into the country by barring private traders from importing staple cereals.

The move will worsen the situation for Zimbabweans who have been teetering on the verge of starvation since 2000, when ZANU PF embarked on its chaotic land reform programme.

Two years ago the unity government issued licences to private importers when it became clear that the state-owned Grain Marketing Board (GMB) was failing to feed the starving nation, with stocks at its silos falling below critical levels.

But that arrangement was last month reversed by ZANU PF Agriculture Minister Joseph Made, despite millions of Zimbabweans still facing starvation.

The milling industry says it requires at least 3,500 metric tonnes of maize daily to meet national demand, which the state-owned GMB has been failing to supply, raising fears of hunger and starvation.

“The Grain Millers Association of Zimbabwe is deeply saddened to note the Ministry of Agriculture has banned imports of grain but continues to issue massive import permits of maize meal to companies owned by senior politicians,” the group said in a letter to government, and quoted in a Daily News Tuesday report.

The millers say the decision to exclude them from the maize import sector was taken without prior notice and as a result they are concerned that traders who had already paid, but not taken delivery of maize, will lose.

The new GMB maize prices to millers will increase the retail price of a 10kg bag of maize-meal from $6.41 to $7.13, the millers group added.

Some observers have raised concern that restricting imports to the traditionally inept GMB will lead to shortages and create a black market for the staple grain.

“We knew that it was a matter of time before ZANU PF reverted to its default position,” MDC legislator and ex-minister Priscillah Misihairabwi-Mushonga said on Tuesday.

She said Zimbabweans should brace themselves for tough times ahead as the GMB will not manage to provide the country with adequate food.

“It is total madness to give the GMB a bigger responsibility when it was failing even with other players assisting. During the life of the inclusive government we had a lot of discussions about the incompetency at the GMB which was even failing to distribute grain that was in its silos.

“The government says it has no money for anything, so how will they ensure that the GMB imports sufficient grain for Zimbabweans,” the ex-Minister of Integration in the unity government said.

In a related development, the government has reportedly entered into a secret deal with South African company ASP to supply 150,000 metric tonnes of maize meal.

But so far, the SA firm has only managed to deliver 950 metric tonnes, according to the Daily News.

Under the shady deal both the Zim government and ASP will “keep confidential all information, whether oral or written concerning the business and affairs of the other,” the newspaper reported.

Humanitarian aid agency the World Food Programme says food insecurity in the country is at its highest since 2009, and estimates 2.2 million Zimbabweans need assistance.

The agency revealed in December that it was reducing rations to beneficiaries by half, in order to stretch out the food.

“We’ve had to cut rations for one million of our beneficiaries in recent months and there are likely to be deeper cuts as from next month (February),” the aid agency said in a statement.

SW Radio Africa news - The Independent Voice of Zimbabwe

Lawyer Bellinda Chinowawa said they have asked the High court to quash the directive by Ignatius Chombo

By Tichaona Sibanda SW Radio Africa 5 February 2014

An urgent High Court application has been filed in Harare to stop suspended Harare Town Clerk Tendai Mahachi from reporting for duty, a lawyer said on Wednesday.

Bellinda Chinowawa of the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights filed the urgent application when Local Government Minister Ignatious Chombo ignored an earlier one-day ultimatum to rescind his directive to re-appoint Mahachi.

Chinowawa, representing Harare resident and ratepayer Tawanda Zhuwarara on Tuesday wrote a letter to Chombo issuing the Minister with the one day ultimatum. When Chombo failed to respond at the end of the deadline, Chinowawa immediately filed an urgent chamber application, seeking the court to quash Chombo’s directive.

There are reports Chombo is shielding Mahachi, a friend and former University colleague, from possible prosecution amid suspicions he wants him to stay put at Town House to cover up their dirty tracks.

In the absence of Mahachi, investigations into dealings at the Town House could unravel entrenched corruption, generally accepted as being responsible for the capital city’s underdevelopment.

The defiant town clerk has been reporting for duty despite Mayor Bernard Manyenyeni insisting that he remains suspended until a full council meeting resolves the issue. Manyenyeni suspended Mahachi last week Thursday, saying the town clerk had refused to comply with a council resolution that required him to provide the salary schedules of top council employees, including his own.

But less than 48 hours later, Chombo told reporters that Mahachi had been reinstated. The mayor confirmed Wednesday that Mahachi was still reporting for work at the Town House despite being slapped with a three month suspension, with full benefits, all done according to the Urban Councils Act.

So an aggrieved resident took it upon himself to take Chombo head-on over the Town Clerk saga. Through his lawyer, Zhuwarara demanded that Chombo should rescind his decision on Mahachi at 2 pm Wednesday.

Lawyer Chinowawa told SW Radio Africa that they have asked the High court to quash the directive by Chombo so that Mahachi’ suspension remains in place.

‘The fact that Chombo’s directive is a nullity at law means that Mahachi cannot benefit from an illegality,’ said Chinowawa, adding that Mahachi is not being prejudiced by his suspension because he was sent home on full benefits.

Chinowawa added: ‘The matter will be put before the Judge President tomorrow (Thursday) and we hope before the end of the week, there should be a resolution to the matter.’

Meanwhile the chairperson of Harare City Council’s finance committee, councillor Norman Markham, has resigned from his post over the non-disclosure of executive salaries and general unaccountability at Town House.

In his resignation letter to Mayor Manyenyeni, Markham said he was uncomfortable heading a finance committee that had no control over finances, according to media reports on Wednesday.

‘It is with regret that I tender my resignation as chairman of the finance committee and indeed the committee itself. I cannot believe that anyone with any self-respect would chair the Harare City Council finance committee as it stands and runs today.

‘For over six months we have been waiting for contracts for grade one to four employees. This scope, like all the grades is overstaffed for our resources, but the packages are extraordinary. This band alone accounts for nearly 10 percent of our wage bill. We have no control over contracts, benefits drawn,’ said Markham in his letter.

SW Radio Africa news - The Independent Voice of Zimbabwe

Nelson Chamisa moved the motion to dissolve the restive Manicaland executive

By Nomalanga Moyo SW Radio Africa 04 February 2014 The MDC-T’s National Standing Committee met Wednesday, amid reports that the party may be considering dissolving the Manicaland provincial leadership.

A source privy to the meeting told SW Radio Africa that the party’s national organising secretary, Nelson Chamisa, moved the motion to dissolve the restive Manicaland executive.

Problems in Manicaland emerged last year during the MDC-T’s primary elections, which some provincial leaders said were undemocratic, accusing the national executive of trying to impose their favoured candidates.

Since then, the provincial leadership which consists of Pishai Muchauraya and Julius Magarangoma have continued to be critical of the party’s leadership.

Muchauraya, who is the provincial spokesman, refused to comment, and referred all questions to the party’s national spokesman.

Recently Muchauraya openly declared his full support for Elton Mangoma’s calls for leadership renewal and for party leader Morgan Tsvangirai to step down.

This has angered Tsvangirai loyalists, who include party organising secretary Chamisa, who is alleged to be creating parallel structures in ‘problematic’ provinces like Manicaland.

Chamisa’s phone was unreachable Wednesday.

However, MDC-T spokesman Douglas Mwonzora, who also sits on the standing committee, denied that the Manicaland provincial executive will be dissolved.

“It’s not correct. What was agreed on is that Chamisa as the organising secretary will look into the problems in Manicaland. There has not been a formal motion or resolution over Manicaland at all today.”

Mwonzora said although the committee touched on the problems in Manicaland, this was to ask Chamisa to look into them and report back with recommendations.

“Otherwise the bulk of the discussions focused on the upcoming policy conference in March as well as the district heads meeting set for February 15th,” he added.

Another MDC-T official in Manicaland told SW Radio Africa that Chamisa’s investigation will not yield much, adding that this was not the first time the party had tried to “descend on Manicaland”.

“What is wrong with people calling for proper representation? The provincial executive cannot be dissolved without legitimate reason and if anyone has to go it is Tsvangirai and Chamisa because they have failed the party,” the official said.