The announcement that government will be
installing 5 KVA solar powered kits at the homes of over 100 top government
official including service chiefs “to cushion them and their families from ZESA
loadshedding!” The announcements comes hardly a week after the nation learned
of the US$ 500 000, 350 000 and 40 000 loans for ministers, deputy ministers
and MPs respectively. There is no hope of stopping this lot from looting.
There are six key points that said about this
latest looting scheme:
1) Yes,
it is the taxpayers who will pay the bill for the kits at the expense of
neglected public projects like education and health care
2) Yes,
the installation will cost the taxpayers an arm and a leg at US$14 000 each
nearly three times the open market value of US$5 000
3) Yes,
with the ruling elite taken care of, the power supply to the ordinary people
will only get worse.
4) And
yes, there is more bad news, the 100 solar kit installations at public expense will
swell tenfold in just a few months as the nation’s ruling elite and their
cronies line up to claim a share of the loot! Both Zanu PF and CCC MPs are
gleefully tenting their fingers, whispering EXCELLENT! They can’t wait to claim
their share.
5) There
is no denying that Zimbabwe’s ruling elite entrusted with the important task of
enacting the laws to ensure good governance and rule of law have themselves
become corrupt. They are the godfathers of corruption.
6) Sed
quis custodiet ipsos custodes? :But who will guard the guards themselves? asked
the Roman poet Juvenal, he was referring to marital fidelity. This has
become the most relevant and urgent question of our generation. How we answer
or fail to will define this nation’s fate!
Soon after independence, Mugabe surprised his
cabinet by giving each one of them a Mercedes Benz limo to replace the Peugeot 406
Smith’s ministers used. The limos were not budgeted for nor had cabinet
approval. They were a generous gift from Prime Minister Robert Mugabe to HIS
cabinet ministers and deputy ministers. This kick started the patronage system
that has remained to this day.
The patronage system, soon spread to MPs, top
brass in the security services, civil servants, judiciary, parastatals, traditional
leaders, etc., etc. It comes as no surprise that CEO, senior managers and the
bloated board, all political appointees, at ZESA, for example, get very
generous salaries and allowances and yet the nation is facing crippling power
cuts!
The cabinet ministers, deputy ministers, MPs
right down to the village heads who get US$ 50 pm bribe; are all expected to
show their gratitude to the benevolent dictator through their blind loyalty to him
and his ambition of retaining absolute power at all costs. Even at the height
of the 1983 to 1987 Gukurahundi massacre, one of the many dark chapters in post
-independent Zimbabwe, cabinet and parliament remained doggedly silent and doggedly
loyal to Mugabe.
“Mose murivakadzi vaMugabe!” (You are all Mugabe’s
concubines!) Margaret Dongo scolded her fellow Zanu PF ministers and MPs in
sheer exasperation at their spineless grovelling to Mugabe’s dictatorial whims.
The nation had hoped that the election of Morgan Tsvangirai
and his MDC friends would deliver the necessary democratic changes to end the
Zanu PF dictatorship. Sadly, that was not to be; MDC leaders have failed to
implement even one reform in 22 years of the political stage, including 5 years
in the GNU.
Mugabe bribed the MDC leaders just as readily as he had
bribed his own Zanu PF friends before them. And the rest is history!
The first step in our search for a lasting solution to the
challenge posed by Juvenal’s conundrum is the realisation that CCC leaders have
given up the fight for reforms and free elections and are now just as corrupt
and incompetent as the Zanu PF leaders. The very fact that MDC leaders have
failed to implement even one reform in all 22 years, 5 of which in the GNU,
should have forced us by now to see MDC/CCC leaders for whom they really are –
corrupt, incompetent and utterly useless.
We cannot entrust the important task of removing this
corrupt and tyrannical Zanu PF dictatorship to men and women who have already
proven beyond doubt that they are themselves corrupt and incompetent.
To end the Zanu PF dictatorship all we need to do is
implement the democratic reforms. Just because MDC/CCC leaders have failed to
implement even one reforms does not mean no one else can!
Part 1 of 2
ReplyDeleteWASHINGTON - Today, the U.S. Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) designated four Zimbabwean individuals and two Zimbabwean entities, and removed seventeen Zimbabweans from the Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons List (SDN List).
The Zimbabwe sanctions program targets human rights abusers and those who undermine democratic processes or facilitate corruption. U.S. sanctions do not target the Zimbabwean people, the country of Zimbabwe, or Zimbabwe's banking sector.
"We urge the Zimbabwean government to take meaningful steps towards creating a peaceful, prosperous, and politically vibrant Zimbabwe, and to address the root causes of many of Zimbabwe's ills: corrupt elites and their abuse of the country's institutions for their personal benefit," said Under Secretary of the Treasury Brian E. Nelson. "The goal of sanctions is behavior change. Today's actions demonstrate our support for a transparent and prosperous Zimbabwe."
Today, OFAC designated Sandra Mpunga, Nqobile Magwizi, Fossil Agro, Fossil Contracting, and Obey Chimuka, for their ties to the previously designated individual Kudakwashe Tagwirei and his company, Sakunda Holdings. OFAC designated Tagwirei in August 2020 for having materially assisted, sponsored, or provided financial, material, logistical, or technical support for, or goods or services in support of, the Government of Zimbabwe; and Sakunda for being owned or controlled by Tagwirei. Tagwirei has utilized his relationships with high-level Zimbabwean officials to gain state contracts and receive favored access to hard currency, including U.S. dollars. In turn, Tagwirei has provided high priced items, such as expensive cars, to senior-level Zimbabwean government officials. Since former Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe's 2017 departure, Tagwirei used a combination of opaque business dealings and his ongoing relationship with President Mnangagwa to grow his business empire dramatically and rake in millions of U.S. dollars
Fossil Agro has supplied the Government of Zimbabwe's Command Agriculture Program, a state farm subsidy largely financed by Sakunda which has failed to account for billions of dollars in disbursements. The Government of Zimbabwe awarded Fossil Contracting nearly $40 million in contracts in 2021. Fossil Agro and Fossil Contracting were designated pursuant to E.O. 13469 for providing material, logistical, or technical support to the Government of Zimbabwe.
Part 2 of 2
ReplyDeleteEmmerson Mnangagwa, Jr. is President Mnangagwa's son and has been in charge of the president's business interests related to Tagwirei. Mnangagwa, Jr. was designated pursuant to E.O. 13391 for being an immediate family member of the Zimbabwean president and OFAC-blocked Emmerson Mnangagwa.
As a result of today's designations, all property and interests in property of the designated persons located in the United States or in the possession or control of U.S. persons are blocked and must be reported to OFAC. In addition, any entities that are owned, directly or indirectly, 50 percent or more in the aggregate by one or more of such persons are also blocked. All transactions by U.S. persons or within (or transiting) the United States that involve any property or interests in property of blocked or designated persons are prohibited, unless authorized by a general or specific license issued by OFAC, or otherwise exempt. These prohibitions include the making of any contribution or provision of funds, goods, or services by, to, or for the benefit of any blocked person and the receipt of any contribution or provision of funds, goods, or services from any such person.
This must land as a heavy body-blow to Mnangagwa who was beginning to believe he was winning the re-engagement battle. First, he had managed to convince his fellow African leaders to sing the lift the sanctions on Zimbabwe swan-song at international forum including the UN General assembly. Second, he had got EU to lift all the sanctions and to actively re-engage with is government. Third, he has Commonwealth on the ropes, with all African leaders backing Zimbabwe’s readmission. Fourth, he saw Zimbabwe’s invitation to the US-Africa summit as proof the Americans were beginning to soften up!
Mnangagwa saw his readmission into the Commonwealth as the thin end of the wedge to force the UK and the rest of the western nations to lift the sanctions against his regime.
Normally the Americans review the sanctions on Zimbabwe in February or March so this review is early, they just wanted Mnangagwa to have something to chew over this Christmas. And a Christmas surprise – forget the re-engagement bull, sanctions are here to stay.
@ Mbofana
ReplyDeleteI have so many loving concerned friends, relatives, and even readers whom I am not personally familiar, contacting me expressing worry over my safety, due to the type of articles (and, now short videos) I produce - considering the brutal toxic political environment we live in.
However, I assure them by simply saying, "I truly appreciate your concerns, but I'll be alright".
Indeed, I know the risks that are present in Zimbabwe, but it has become my nature to do my duty to God and my Country, and to help other people - no matter what the risks involved may be.
Yet, my heart bleeds whenever I witness those who have either been elected or appointed into public office - as a form of leadership - perceiving this privilege largely as an opportunity for self-aggrandizement.
Instead of treating this honor as a mandate to serve, to the point of personal sacrifice, the people whom they are entrusted to lead - they would rather use this for personal gain.
Surely, what sense is there when we hear of mayors, town clerks, legislators, cabinet ministers, and even the president demanding, and being showered with, endless astounding perks - yet, the people they should be leading continue to wallow in poverty, or even their plight worsening?
You have asked many pertinent questions the question you should have asked yourself is what would you have done if you were one of Mugabe’s ministers presented with a new Mercedes Benz limo a few weeks after getting into office in 1980? Well, all of his ministers accepted the limos and needless to say they then pretended not to see the regime’s contemptuous disregard for rule of law even the sanctity of human lives in Mugabe’s drive to impose a de facto one-party state. Indeed, many of them played their part in in the establishment and retention of the dictatorship and have shameless claimed their share of the spoils of power.
Even Morgan Tsvangirai and his MDC friends, who were elected by the people to implement the democratic reforms and thus dismantle the Zanu PF dictatorship. Mugabe “showered them with, endless astounding perks”, as you would put it and they, in return, throw reforms out of the window.
In Zimbabwe corruption started at the top, with Mugabe himself, and very quickly peculated to the bottom. There is nothing to encourage subordinates to be corrupt than they knowing those above them are corrupt!
The fact that corruption started at the dawn of our independence, at the formative stage, when the state institutions were weak to fight back, there was nothing to stop corruption. And it is no surprise the crippled institutions have always served Zanu PF’s selfish interest at the expense of the national interest.
In the present set up elections are a waste of time as Zanu PF is guaranteed to win majority in parliament and it will never reform itself out of office. Even if CCC was to win the election or got into power on the cocktail of street protest; they will never implement the reforms fully, if at all, because they will be benefiting from the flawed system.
What Zimbabwe needs is another GNU, another chance to implement the democratic reforms and have a fresh, clean slate, start. The present system is rotten to the core and cannot be fixed!
@ Munyaradzi
ReplyDeleteTrust you to miss the point! The moral of the story is the EU have managed to contain corruption by nipping it in the bud! In Zimbabwe the corrupt stay in power and use some of their ill-gotten wealth to build such monstrosities as the Blue Roof mansion, buy a fleet of vehicles, 45 gold watches, etc., etc.
People risk life and limb to elect people like Tsvangirai and Chamisa to implement the reforms and they in turn are corrupted before they implement even one reform. And to crown it all there are naïve and gullible individuals out there who continue to follow MDC/CCC blindly regardless of the evidence they have given up on reforms and free elections!
In the lead-up to the three-day U.S-Africa Leaders Summit that begins Tuesday, Biden administration officials played down their increasing concern about the clout of China and Russia in Africa, which is home to more than 1.3 billion people. Instead, administration officials tried to put the focus on their efforts to improve cooperation with African leaders.
ReplyDelete"This summit is an opportunity to deepen the many partnerships we have on the African continent," White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said when asked about the shadow that China and Russia cast on the meetings. "We will focus on our efforts to strengthen these partnerships across a wide range of sectors spanning from businesses to health to peace and security, but our focus will be on Africa next week."
To that end, White House officials said that "major deliverables and initiatives" - diplomatic speak for big announcements - will be peppered throughout the meetings. The White House previewed one major summit announcement on Friday, saying that Biden would use the gathering to declare his support for adding the African Union as a permanent member of the Group of 20 nations.
The summit will be the biggest international gathering in Washington since before the start of the Covid-19 pandemic. Local officials are warning residents to brace for road blocks and intensified security as 49 invited heads of states and leaders - and Biden - whiz around the city.
In its sub-Saharan Africa strategy unveiled in August, the Biden administration warned that China, which has pumped billions into African energy, infrastructure and other projects, sees the region as an arena where Beijing can "challenge the rules-based international order, advance its own narrow commercial and geopolitical interests, undermine transparency and openness."
The administration also argues that Russia, the preeminent arms dealer in Africa, views the continent as a permissive environment for Kremlin-connected oligarchs and private military companies to focus on fomenting instability for their own strategic and financial benefit.
Still, administration officials are emphasising that concerns about China and Russia will not be central to the talks.
China has played a major role in bankrolling Zanu PF’s vote rigging machine in Zimbabwe, directly as government to government or indirectly as the various Chinese companied are involved in the wholesale looting of Zimbabwe’s resources.
Zanu PF is rigging the 2023 elections and making sure the regime does not get the political legitimacy this time is one sure way to end this dictatorship. By refusing to lift the sanctions, indeed by adding new names to the sanctions list the Biden administration is sending the clear message that it still wants to see free, fair and credible elections next year, no if and no but!
Land for ED founder and leader Blessing Togarepi yesterday told NewsDay that the organisation would not allow authorities to deny them access to vacant farming land.
ReplyDeleteThe latest move is likely to trigger a fresh wave of farm invasions considering the ruling party's history of launching populist and unco-ordinated economic interventions each time the country heads towards national elections.
As the country heads towards the watershed 2023 elections, Zanu-PF has been dangling the land to the youths as it seeks to win the elections resoundingly.
The youth vote remains critical to the ruling party.
"Land for ED is there to ensure that the youth have access to land for free. We have noted that ordinary citizens have challenges in accessing land, therefore, we are there to enhance the process," Togarepi said.
Zanu PF has relied on ignorance and fear to retain its strangle hold on power and making the country ungovernable is one way of instilling fear. Having assured Mnangagwa they will deliver votes for him, these youth with have licence to harass, beat, rape and even murder Zanu PF opponents. The farm invasion are then used as cover for unleashing these thugs on the pretext those being attacked are against the farm invasion and/or give the farms back to the whites if they are allowed to win.
The farm invasions have always flared up just before elections to draw attention away from the real reason for the violence was to punish those who dare to challenge Zanu PF’s hold on power and cow the population into submission. The fact that the has been gratuitous violence in these invasion goes to show the party will not hesitate to use violence to achieve its primary objective of holding on to power at all costs!
The best solution is for people to refuse to participate in these flawed elections and denounce as a farce here and now and not have to wait for the results to be announced. Zanu PF must not be granted political legitimacy after rigging 2023 elections.