Salarygate exposes Zanu (PF) factionalism

Joice Mujuru, who for long has been identified as the leader of one faction within Zanu (PF), at the weekend publicly warned against the Salarygate whistleblowers whom she said had hidden motives.

Mujuru deputises President Robert Mugabe in both Zanu (PF) and the government and has for long been reported to be leading a camp that rivals another said to be headed by Emmerson Mnangagwa, the current justice minister and the party’s Secretary for Legal Affairs.

Both have, however, refuted the claim that they are leading factions eyeing President Mugabe’s post when he finally leaves office.

Addressing the party’s Mashonaland West provincial women’s conference in Chinhoyi last Saturday, Mujuru said those that were coordinating the leaking of information to the media were sabotaging Zanu (PF) and crucial government programmes such as the Zimbabwe Agenda for Sustainable Socio-Economic Transformation, the government’s economic blueprint.

“Be warned that that this exposition of corruption among parastatals is one way by some people who want to destroy this country. Don’t be fooled to think that these people are not from within Zanu (PF). As they say, if you can’t beat them, join them, and then fight them from within,” Mujuru said.

Mujuru added that the manner in which the salary scandal was being reported eyebrows.

“These issues (parastatal corruption) must not be discussed in the media but should be solved using proper channels and you get surprised by the intensity with which information relating to the scandals is being leaked,” she said, describing the media coverage around the Salarygate as a way of diverting the public from real issues such as power shortages.

“We now have too many moles among us who are now fighting our beautiful programmes and businesses. Watch out for those saboteurs and report them since you now know,” said Mujuru.

Her statements are seen as a dig at Jonathan Moyo, the Media, Information and Broadcasting Services Minister, who was linked to the Mnangagwa camp following an attempted palace coup in Tsholotsho in 2004.

Moyo was part of the group of influential Zanu (PF) members who attended a meeting at Dinyane school which was reportedly meant to plot Mugabe’s succession by the faction led by Mnangagwa, who reports say was supposed to address the congregation, even though he cancelled his trip to Tsholotsho at the last minute.

Jonathan Moyo resigned from the government where he was information minister in early 2005 and successfully ran as an independent MP for Tsholotsho, a seat he retained in the 2008 polls but lost last year.

Even though he lost the July 31 parliamentary contest, President Mugabe recalled him to the information ministry.

The official Zimpapers stable, particularly The Herald, has been at the forefront of exposing the scandals at the parastatals.

The information ministry, following the inauguration of a new cabinet in September after the July 31 general elections won by Zanu (PF), publicised the scam at the Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation where its suspended CEO, Happison Muchechetere, was earning around $40,000 when other employees had gone for several months without pay and were receiving low salaries.

Next to be exposed was the Premier Service Medical Aid Society where its CEO and former board chair at ZBC, Cuthbert Dube, was earning a reported $500,000 in salary and allowances yet PSMAS was failing to meet its obligations to contributors and was debt ridden.

George Charamba, the secretary in the ministry, sat on the PSMAS board.

Salary and tender scandals have also been reported at three other parastatals—the Zimbabwe United Passenger Company, Zimbabwe Electricity Supply Authority and Air Zimbabwe, in addition to the Harare City Council.

Didymus Mutasa, the Zanu (PF) Secretary for Administration, and Rugare Gumbo, the party spokesperson, in November 2013 closed ranks in attacking Moyo and Charamba for undermining them through the official media.

A spate erupted between the information ministry gurus and the other two over the announcement of results of the party’s provincial polls in Mashonaland Central.

Moyo recently hailed the media for exposing the parastatal salary scandals, but cautioned that the expose must not be turned into a witch-hunt.