Opinion / Columnist
Zanu-PF and corruption are like inseparable siamese twins
31 May 2016 at 05:43hrs | Views
The MDC-T is thoroughly unimpressed with the indifference exhibited by President Robert Mugabe when issues of corruption in his government are exposed. Everyone is getting concerned with the level of inertia that Mugabe continues to show; particularly when cases of corruption by top government officials are exposed.
The past 36 years under Zanu-PF rule shall go down in the history of Zimbabwe as a bunch of wasted decades as a few well-connected individuals became fabulously rich by draining the economy whilst the majority of the people were pauperised and reduced to vendors and beggars in their own country of birth.
Since the Sandura Commission that exposed the Willovale motor vehicles scandal in the 1980s, no other effective remedial action to expose and combat corruption within the public and private sectors has ever been instituted by the Zanu-PF regime.Over the past decades,corruption has become part and parcel of the Zanu-PF regime's DNA. Zanu-PF and corruption have become like inseparable Siamese twins.
The so-called indigenisation policy actually took the "art" of corruption to the next level. Senior government officials that passionately and incessantly drove the indigenisation mantra actually became so hopelessly corrupt. They flagrantly abused the power and authority that was entrusted upon them by openly soliciting for bribes and demanding huge kickbacks from company owners and other affected business executives.They became so wealthy that one of them built a 50 bedroom mansion that he hoped to convert into a hotel in case things went the other way. No one spoke a word as it was business as usual within the Zanu-PF regime.
In 2014, elephants were poisoned by cyanide. No one from the top government offices ever bothered to check how cyanide was imported. Obviously it was a heavy duty ring. Elephants died in their hundreds. Money changed hands. A few villagers were sacrificed to serve lengthy terms in prison as the real culprits (government ministers) reaped huge profits and walked away scot free.
When one Ignatious Chombo became the Minister of Local Government, he acquired several immovable properties nationwide through blatant and corrupt of office.Little wonder, therefore, that Chombo is now one of the wealthiest Cabinet Ministers in the Zanu-PF regime. No one uttered a word. And to date, Chombo is still a free man!
One Cuthbert Dube literally brought down the PSMAS by, amongst other corrupt shenanigans, paying himself a staggering and obscene salary in the sum of $500 000 per month for literally doing nothing. No punitive government action was taken against him except giving him a golden handshake!
Then followed the $15 billion dollars diamonds scandal. President Mugabe casually mentioned the issue and thundered from the podium that such corruption was amazing. The issue was to be investigated; a polite tactic to keep the public anger under control.
Minister Samuel Undenge entered the scene and blindly awarded a $500 million tender to one Wicknell Chivhayo,a secondary school drop out from Cranborne Boys' High in Harare who was also an ex convict. The controversial man would splash resources and do nothing on the project. To cover his tracks, he would spoil Grace Mugabe and her children with restaurant meals and designer clothes. He would also do a publicity stunt by rescuing hunger fleeing ladies from Zimbabwe now in Kuwait in search of jobs and livelihood (thanks to the Zanu-PF regime's ineptitude). Nothing happened to Samuel Undenge and he still walks free because he is one of the Zanu-PF regime's wheeler dealers!
The maddening story goes on and on. Now Zimbabwe is on its knees.The country is now a fully-fledged banana republic as the nation awaits the introduction of bond notes (effectively Zimbabwe dollars by another name) within the next few months.This is the tragic story of Zimbabwe after 36 years of Zanu-PF's ruinous and disastrous rule.
MDC : EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES FOR ALL
Obert Chaurura Gutu
MDC National Spokesperson
The past 36 years under Zanu-PF rule shall go down in the history of Zimbabwe as a bunch of wasted decades as a few well-connected individuals became fabulously rich by draining the economy whilst the majority of the people were pauperised and reduced to vendors and beggars in their own country of birth.
Since the Sandura Commission that exposed the Willovale motor vehicles scandal in the 1980s, no other effective remedial action to expose and combat corruption within the public and private sectors has ever been instituted by the Zanu-PF regime.Over the past decades,corruption has become part and parcel of the Zanu-PF regime's DNA. Zanu-PF and corruption have become like inseparable Siamese twins.
The so-called indigenisation policy actually took the "art" of corruption to the next level. Senior government officials that passionately and incessantly drove the indigenisation mantra actually became so hopelessly corrupt. They flagrantly abused the power and authority that was entrusted upon them by openly soliciting for bribes and demanding huge kickbacks from company owners and other affected business executives.They became so wealthy that one of them built a 50 bedroom mansion that he hoped to convert into a hotel in case things went the other way. No one spoke a word as it was business as usual within the Zanu-PF regime.
In 2014, elephants were poisoned by cyanide. No one from the top government offices ever bothered to check how cyanide was imported. Obviously it was a heavy duty ring. Elephants died in their hundreds. Money changed hands. A few villagers were sacrificed to serve lengthy terms in prison as the real culprits (government ministers) reaped huge profits and walked away scot free.
When one Ignatious Chombo became the Minister of Local Government, he acquired several immovable properties nationwide through blatant and corrupt of office.Little wonder, therefore, that Chombo is now one of the wealthiest Cabinet Ministers in the Zanu-PF regime. No one uttered a word. And to date, Chombo is still a free man!
One Cuthbert Dube literally brought down the PSMAS by, amongst other corrupt shenanigans, paying himself a staggering and obscene salary in the sum of $500 000 per month for literally doing nothing. No punitive government action was taken against him except giving him a golden handshake!
Then followed the $15 billion dollars diamonds scandal. President Mugabe casually mentioned the issue and thundered from the podium that such corruption was amazing. The issue was to be investigated; a polite tactic to keep the public anger under control.
Minister Samuel Undenge entered the scene and blindly awarded a $500 million tender to one Wicknell Chivhayo,a secondary school drop out from Cranborne Boys' High in Harare who was also an ex convict. The controversial man would splash resources and do nothing on the project. To cover his tracks, he would spoil Grace Mugabe and her children with restaurant meals and designer clothes. He would also do a publicity stunt by rescuing hunger fleeing ladies from Zimbabwe now in Kuwait in search of jobs and livelihood (thanks to the Zanu-PF regime's ineptitude). Nothing happened to Samuel Undenge and he still walks free because he is one of the Zanu-PF regime's wheeler dealers!
The maddening story goes on and on. Now Zimbabwe is on its knees.The country is now a fully-fledged banana republic as the nation awaits the introduction of bond notes (effectively Zimbabwe dollars by another name) within the next few months.This is the tragic story of Zimbabwe after 36 years of Zanu-PF's ruinous and disastrous rule.
MDC : EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES FOR ALL
Obert Chaurura Gutu
MDC National Spokesperson
Source - Obert Chaurura Gutu
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