News / National
Mugabe disgusted, orders crackdown
07 Feb 2014 at 04:27hrs | Views
President Robert Mugabe has reacted with disgust and consternation to revelations of obscene salaries and perks earned by parastatal bosses and has since ordered a revolutionary change in the management of public funds, his spokesperson George Charamba said Thursday.
In an interview with The Zimbabwe Mail, Charamba said although the president was the one who first complained in cabinet about the salaries parastatal bosses were earning, he was alarmed by the huge pay-cheques and plunder exposed by the media since December last year.
"Take it from me, I was a member of the Premier Service Medical Aid Society (PSMAS) board and saw first-hand his (Mugabe) reaction to these (obscene salary) reports and the evidence brought before him," Charamba said. "He was angered, outraged to say the least. In fact he said PSMAS had no business more than waiting for members' fees and collecting the same."
Mugabe's media and information chief said the veteran leader's office was now working on reviewing the management of the "public economy".
"The Chief Secretary to the President and Cabinet, Misheck Sibanda, is working on legal instruments required to manage the whole architecture of the public economy. We are looking at the inter and intra institutional relationship between all quasi-governmental establishments," Charamba said.
"The president during the inclusive government tasked then Finance Minister Tendai Biti, Public Service minister Lucia Matbenga and Health minister Henry Madzorera to look at the issue of these salaries. The ministers then realised, in the case of PSMAS, that there was no legal instrument to deal with the case."
Madzorera and Matibenga revealed to The Zimbabwe Mail last December that deposed PSMAS chief executive officer Cuthbert Dube's $250 000 monthly pay-cheque had been a subject of cabinet discussions, with ministers expressing revulsion. Madzorera said the matter had been referred to Mugabe's office.
Apart from Dube, eight more PSMAS executives were earning mega-salaries and perks.
At ZBC, suspended chief executive officer Happison Muchechetere was reportedly earning $40 000 monthly. Muchechetere and top management at the national broadcaster also allegedly awarded themselves housing loans and lucrative allowances, while the majority of workers wallowed in abject poverty without salaries for over half a year. Treasury had to intervene and paid the workers last month.
Harare City Council was also rocked by the salary scam, with town clerk Tendai Mahachi and 16 directors earning huge salaries, while the municipality was battling to pay its workers.
Charamba said no parastatal would escape the dragnet and Mugabe was determined to clean the mess in parastatals and quassi government institutions.
"At the end of the day you are going to see a revolution in the public economy and government is going to make sure of that," he said.
However, opposition leader Simba Makoni of Mavambo/Kusile/Dawn on Wednesday said it was incumbent upon Mugabe to issue a public statement on salary-gate to pacify a restive nation.
"The buck stops with Mugabe and no power less than that of the chief executive of Zimbabwe public limited can put a stop to this," Makoni said at a monthly briefing with journalists in the capital. "No authority less than that of the president of the republic can stop the rot. Mugabe needs to take charge. It is either they are together or they fooling us all. Something is wrong somewhere, but unless Mugabe says something then we cannot be faulted to say this government is clueless. There should be an inquiry to investigate what happened and if possible criminally charge some people as well as recover what can be recovered."
The Morgan Tsvangirai-led MDC-T has since demanded the setting up of a judicial inquiry into the salary-gate.
Didymus Mutasa, Zanu PF secretary for administration, said the party was yet to deliberate on the salary scandal to come up with a common position.
"We have not discussed the matter as a party and anybody who tells you we have a position will be lying," said Mutasa curtly.
In an interview with The Zimbabwe Mail, Charamba said although the president was the one who first complained in cabinet about the salaries parastatal bosses were earning, he was alarmed by the huge pay-cheques and plunder exposed by the media since December last year.
"Take it from me, I was a member of the Premier Service Medical Aid Society (PSMAS) board and saw first-hand his (Mugabe) reaction to these (obscene salary) reports and the evidence brought before him," Charamba said. "He was angered, outraged to say the least. In fact he said PSMAS had no business more than waiting for members' fees and collecting the same."
Mugabe's media and information chief said the veteran leader's office was now working on reviewing the management of the "public economy".
"The Chief Secretary to the President and Cabinet, Misheck Sibanda, is working on legal instruments required to manage the whole architecture of the public economy. We are looking at the inter and intra institutional relationship between all quasi-governmental establishments," Charamba said.
"The president during the inclusive government tasked then Finance Minister Tendai Biti, Public Service minister Lucia Matbenga and Health minister Henry Madzorera to look at the issue of these salaries. The ministers then realised, in the case of PSMAS, that there was no legal instrument to deal with the case."
Madzorera and Matibenga revealed to The Zimbabwe Mail last December that deposed PSMAS chief executive officer Cuthbert Dube's $250 000 monthly pay-cheque had been a subject of cabinet discussions, with ministers expressing revulsion. Madzorera said the matter had been referred to Mugabe's office.
Apart from Dube, eight more PSMAS executives were earning mega-salaries and perks.
Harare City Council was also rocked by the salary scam, with town clerk Tendai Mahachi and 16 directors earning huge salaries, while the municipality was battling to pay its workers.
Charamba said no parastatal would escape the dragnet and Mugabe was determined to clean the mess in parastatals and quassi government institutions.
"At the end of the day you are going to see a revolution in the public economy and government is going to make sure of that," he said.
However, opposition leader Simba Makoni of Mavambo/Kusile/Dawn on Wednesday said it was incumbent upon Mugabe to issue a public statement on salary-gate to pacify a restive nation.
"The buck stops with Mugabe and no power less than that of the chief executive of Zimbabwe public limited can put a stop to this," Makoni said at a monthly briefing with journalists in the capital. "No authority less than that of the president of the republic can stop the rot. Mugabe needs to take charge. It is either they are together or they fooling us all. Something is wrong somewhere, but unless Mugabe says something then we cannot be faulted to say this government is clueless. There should be an inquiry to investigate what happened and if possible criminally charge some people as well as recover what can be recovered."
The Morgan Tsvangirai-led MDC-T has since demanded the setting up of a judicial inquiry into the salary-gate.
Didymus Mutasa, Zanu PF secretary for administration, said the party was yet to deliberate on the salary scandal to come up with a common position.
"We have not discussed the matter as a party and anybody who tells you we have a position will be lying," said Mutasa curtly.
Source - zimmail
