Something rotten in the state of Denmark

OUTSIDE LOOKING IN: A letter from the diaspora

By Pauline Henson

“Something rotten in the state of Denmark” the quotation from Shakespeare’s Hamlet seems particularly apt with regard to the state of Zimbabwe.

It was Zanu PF itself which suspended its Manicaland Chairman, Mike Madiro and four others on allegations of fraud and corruption involving some $700.000 from diamond mining which they claimed was intended for Zanu PF party funds.

Confirming the suspensions, the party’s secretary for administration, Didymus Mutasa said, “leaders should be cadres of good repute and no party member would want to be led by a corrupt leader.”

Whether Madiro’s suspension was a genuine case of misappropriation of funds or something more political remains to be seen.

In the faction wars that are rocking Zanu PF; Madiro is apparently a supporter of the Mnangagwa faction and the suspension has raised fears that other Zanu PF bigwigs may also face investigation.

Many of these top chefs have acquired a great deal of wealth in their rise to the top of the greasy pole which is Zanu PF politics. The danger for other big names is that as their comrades are picked off they will ‘name names’ and the whole rotten edifice will come tumbling down.

Robert Mugabe is apparently keen to have the party cleaned up in time for the election now scheduled for July.

What the president wants his party to be is “Whiter that white” you could say – but that would hardly be appropriate in Mugabe’s Zimbabwe where only the other day we heard a top Mapostori proclaiming that members should never trust a white man.

The Mapostori were being told at the time they would get free stands if they voted Zanu PF so it’s not clear who we can trust there!

To re-enforce the importance of this apparent clean-up, Mutasa told The Standard newspaper, “All of us in the party must be straightforward in our dealings…All those implicated in corruption, no matter what rank they hold, be it cabinet minister, will be investigated.”

It is not only in the former ruling party that there has been corruption and dishonest practices. The rot has spread to all levels of society; this week we hear of a Headman in Mash East who is imposing his own fines on the people for evading cattle tax.

So now, the people have to pay not only the police tax of $10.0 but also the Headman’s fine of $5.0; while the police issue receipts for their taxes, the Headman simple takes his $5.0 a head with no acknowledgement of payment for the impoverished villagers.

In further evidence that greed and corruption appear to be increasing, two Immigration officials were jailed for five years this week for theft of cash and property worth $40.000. It’s not only money that is involved in these dishonest practices; corruption takes many forms.

In Bikita, a sub-chief is misusing his authority to divert food aid so that it only benefits Zanu PF supporters.

But it is crime on a much bigger scale when it comes to the Chipangano gang who operate with impunity in Mbare where the police are clearly aware of the gang’s existence but have so far done nothing to curtail their criminal activities.

The Mayor vows he will ‘tackle’ the gang who have their greedy eyes on a $5 million project being funded by the Gates Foundation to refurbish the 58 blocks of flats to house ordinary working people.

Work started but was then halted by the violent intervention of a bunch of Chipangano thugs who succeeded in disrupting the project. However, “All’s well that ends well” and this very worthwhile project is now under way again.

Incidentally, Chipangano is pro Zanu PF which perhaps explains why the police do nothing to bring them to justice?

Yours in the (continuing) struggle, Pauline Henson.