State capture must be fought by all patriotic citizens

By Jacob Mafume

Command agriculture a project fronted by Lacoste cartel frontman Mnangagwa is the latest version of state capture in Zimbabwe.

Zimbabweans have collectively allowed the mafia to capture the state.

Known dubious figures include Billy Rautenbach, who through his Green Fuel project connived with top State bureaucrats and ZANU PF elites to implement his project without paying a cent for the land as well as enforcing a mysterious introduction of mandatory blending of fuel.

Anjin and Mbada colluded with thieves in the top military brass to loot the Marange diamonds syphoning proceeds to offshore accounts and other tax hideouts.

Despite calls by our President Tendai Biti to stop the bleeding during his time at the Ministry of Finance these calls fell on deaf ears, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) was therefore irked by the hypocritical admittance by President Mugabe years later that indeed over US$15 Billion dollars had been stolen.

The PDP is concerned by the fact that the phenomenon of state capture is unabated and is now spreading like the fires of the forges. The moribund leadership of ZANU PF now steers state capture from above, starting with the shady arrangement between Afrexim Bank and the government.

This cancer is reaching unacceptable levels through Mnangagwa’s Command Agriculture being implemented in collusion with Sakunda headed by Kuda Tagwireyi representing the interests of Trafigura.

This group now controls the country’s US$1billion fuel industry including the pipeline, wholesale and the retail, ironically the Regulation Authority pays no attention.

We argued then as we do now that Command Agriculture is an illegal parallel program of the state specifically designed to pursue a narrow electoral agenda specifically the 2018 harmonised elections.

Joseph Made and the ministry of Agriculture are just bystanders while the Military are at the core of its implementation against the dictates of the National Constitution.

The Vice President who is currently running government because of Mugabe’s Wi-Fi approach is literally captured which makes it scary, all concerned citizens must fight this scourge and disease which violates the laws of the land endangering any hope for democracy in the country.

This commandist securocratic project headed by Emmerson Mnangagwa, who happens to be the face of the fascist element of the State. It is being funded again through a parallel process. Kuda Tagwirei and Sakunda representing Trafigura are the funding handlers of this arrangement. We at some point detailed the atrocities and terrorist tendencies of Trafigura.

The government runs a budget through the consolidated revenue fund from which all legitimate activities of the state must draw resources.

Our biggest concern is that the financing of Command Agriculture is done parallel to the legal framework of the consolidated revenue fund for which oversight is in the hands of the people of Zimbabwe through their elected representatives in Parliament.

Command Agriculture eliminates the role of Public Accounts Committee and the Budget Committee which are Parliament’s most important committees that is why it the Auditor-General’s report revealed a plethora of irregularities.

The terms and conditions of the loan extended by Sakunda are not known, the interest rates are obscure and the time frames a mystery.

Under normal circumstances institutions set out by the Constitution to combat corruption must come into action, it is apparent that the Anti-Corruption Commission is also a captured institution which ironically turns a blind eye to the massive rot in the State.

Zimbabweans must unite and forge an alliance against state capture as was the case in South Africa where public condemnation and protest has been around similar cases.

Zimbabweans must take a leaf from the opposition, social movements, labour, church and civil society from our neighbouring country.

Now is the time for street protests and petitions, even the courts of the law must be approached for intervention. The courts might as well be asked to order an independent inquiry into the rot.

Together Another Zimbabwe is Possible
Jacob Mafume
PDP Spokesperson