Mugabe mum as ZISCO scandal spreads (30-11-06)

/vice president mujuru.jpg” width=300 border=0>
Vice President Joice Mujuru
Movement for Democratic Change secretary-general Tendai Biti said the looting and bribery scams at various government parastatals including the ongoing ZUPCO scandal, where the chairman has already been jailed and several big fish, including cabinet minister Ignatius Chombo and junior minister Bright Matonga are awaiting their turn in the dock, are “all ugly reflections of the self-sustaining madness and momentum of this corruption.”
President Robert Mugabe has remained silent as the scandal has unfolded recently, despite his earlier vows to tackle corruption and stamp-out graft.
Biti said there was inherent bribe-taking in government, alluding to the recent importation of fake fertilizer and the purchase of substandard aircraft from China.
The MDC secretary general said there was also massive asset stripping in the wholesale transfer of formerly state-owned institutions like the Agricultural Finance Corporation and the Zimbabwe Banking Corporation to Zanu (PF) supporters.
Biti said other examples included the land reform programme, which he said was nothing but a huge transfer of assets to cronies and proxies of the ruling regime. The MDC legislator said the importation of fuel has become another arena for Zanu (PF) sharks to enrich themselves corruptly.