WHY SOME PEOPLE WILL NOT TOLERATE CRITICISM OF RGM!

Zimbabwe: Why some people will not tolerate criticism of Mugabe

http://www.zimdaily.com/news/117/ARTICLE/1588/2007-04-19.html

 

Thu, 19 Apr 2007 00:04:00

Sinqobile Dlodlo

A lot has been said about how Mugabe is feared by his own ZANU-PF officials. It is said that this fear led them to rubberstamp his intention to run in the 2008 elections.

Robert Gabriel Mugabe Matibili, Zimbabwe's tyrant

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What analysts seem to forget is the enormous benefits the ZANU-PF officials and some senior officials and state newspaper reporters are getting as a result of Mugabe remaining in power.

It is true that there is chaos in Zimbabwe but what is never mentioned is how officials are benefiting from the chaos.

Mugabe's rule has been manna from heaven for his officials, those in the security services and those reporters and editors of state newspapers that is Herald, Chronicle, Sundaymail, Sunday news and ZBC both radio and TV. 

Abuse of foreign currency

Zimbabwe has experienced a shortage of basic commodities due to decreased productions at the farms. This resulted in shortage of foreign currency. As we speak the Zimbabwean dollar is trading at $16000 to the US$. This is in the 'unofficial' markets. In the official market however the US$ is selling at 1US$ for Z$250.

Only very powerful connected people have access to this source of foreign currency. That is why Harare is awash with the latest vehicle models despite the fact that hospitals have no drugs. 

Using their power officials are making a killing by re trading their US$ in the black market. That explains why Zimbabwean ministers are able to buy seaside mansions, send their kids to the best schools abroad despite the economic problems.

Richard Hove and Rugare Gumbo both senior ZANU-PF have complained loudly about the fact that there seems to be no money to buy tractors and other agricultural inputs yet there is always foreign currency for new cars. 

The Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe governor was recently accused of buying a new car using this scheme. Apart from cars new houses are being built by the powerful all over Harare and some now own seaside mansions. Foreign currency audits from the reserve bank are never made public and hence this corruption goes on and on under Mugabe watch.

Abuse of fuel

The shortage of foreign currency necessarily resulted in the shortage of fuel. A government parastatals NOCZIM imports fuel for resell to garages.  Fuel sourced by NOCZIM is made available to 'connected officials ' at less than 1 rand a litre. In fact it is less than 25c a litre as we speak.

The same commodity is sold in the 'unofficial market' at more than R6 per litre. The majority of the central committee members of ZANU-PF have access to this fuel at this 'official rate' and what they do with it is not audited but your guess is as good as mine. One minister was alleged to have taken delivery of 60 000 litres and to date nothing has happened to him just like nothing happened to those who stole money from the VIP housing scheme ,War Victims funds and multiple farm owners.

Abuse of agricultural support

The average ZANU-PF official got a farm after the land reform. Several land audits were done and each showed that officials got multiple farms.

The senior ones got the best farms. In fact there is no single minister who did not acquire a new farm. Some had bought their farms in the 1980s which means if the one-man –one farm policy had been adhered no government would have got a new farm. 

Government has since 2000 been giving financial and material support to these farmers. Agribank whilst GMB another parastatal has given out seeds and fertilizers. The DDF another government department offered tillage services. 

So basically these officers got free farms, free inputs and what they do is reap the profits. All they had to worry about at the farms were labour charges. 

Senior army officers who benefited are known to send whole battalions of soldiers to work in their farms. To make the work appear official a parallel program Operation Maguta was initiated driven by the army.

Abuse of GMB (grain marketing board)

The GMB has been buying maize from farmers at  Z$30000 per tonne. Government subsidized this maize to the extent that millers would buy the same maize at ZIM$600-00 per tonne. So the GMB was incurring a loss of ZIM29000 roughly per tonne. 

This maize did not go to the established millers but to 'new millers'. These new milling companies would buy the maize, never mill it but resale at back to the GMB at ZIM$30000. Most of these 'new milling companies are owned by ZANU-PF officials.
GMB should have the names but obviously like everything else the officials will get away with it. One ZANU-PF official was caught exporting wheat to Mozambique and to date nothing has come out of the police investigation.

The state media has been roped in. The herald newspaper's editorials dedicate acres of spaces to ZANU-PF and columnists sympathetic to ZANU-PF are allowed to insult MDC and other opposition forces.

So you see the Zimbabwe chaos is 'manna from heaven' for ZANU-PF officials. Since Mugabe acknowledges that there is corruption in the cabinet but goes on to protect his officials from any corruption probe they in return will do anything to keep him in power. 

Yes anything even if it means killing opposition politicians. The level of intolerance we see in Zimbabwe will continue until this human thing called conscience returns to ZANU-PF. 

As long as Zimbabwean economic and political policies are driven by pure greed then don't expect any changes. It does not matter how many times Mbeki flies to Harare.

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shared thought

At least someone sees things the way I see them. What did I say about Gono running forex shops? Buying from RBZ and people at government rate then re-selling it at the black market?? These ZanuPf people are so protective of each other and let alone their president. Bob and ZanuPf are rotten. Right now in his independence speech, he is trying to lure teachers to support them promising them pay rises. He goes on to saypeople in their 'right' mind shouldnt be thinking of going on strike! He surely takes us for granted. Who in his right mind would want to support him if he/she is not milking anything from the regime? After all he knows that the economy is on its knees due to his corrupt practices. How stupid he is to ask people to help. Why doesnt he pay back what he stole from the people if he wants to bring back a normal economy? Did the teachers get any share in his loot? These people are looters and they wont stop. You and I should put up an open hand to stop them.

Posted By Matrix , KoNtuthu Ziyathunqa : Apr 18 2007 10:08 PM

Fuel deal

All true. The little forex the country has buys fuel to be sold to the elite few at a fraction of the glogal price of fuel. Did you know Zanu officials have access to forex at the official rate of 250, in essence they pay 1 cent for every dolar. I have a contact who sells me government coupons, even after his profit the coupons cost me less that half a dollar a litre.

Posted By Diamond dealer , H-town : Apr 18 2007 11:28 PM

Joyce Mujuru = Diamond thief

Boys dzangu in Zim confirm, maminista aba mari damnit. Joyce Mujuru, my very own eyes saw a truck full af rough diamonds which she sent to SA. The bitch must have made millions. Diamond saga, every minister you can think of was invloled even Gono who tries to make us think he will save the economy. Their kids overseas get fofex at the 250 rate. Its sickening.

Posted By witness , In zimbabwe : Apr 18 2007 11:35 PM

criticism of mugabe

what guarantee do we have that whoever comes into power wont be doing the same? look at kenya, Zambia and southafrica to mention but just a few the story is the same and this will never stop. "It is God for us all each man for himself". As Africans we have a problem and as long as we have the colonial mentality that we cant do anything we shall continue to loot and loot. Imagine VP Mujuru with all the riches she has she still goes on to plunder the countries resources. I remember in 1997 I bumped into her in Geneva when she was minister of telecommunications. she was at pains to absolve herself from the Econet saga, blaming it on the big people and yet she was part of the system. I dont honestly see a future for africa.

Posted By "To be or not to be" , northern ireland : Apr 19 2007 12:39 AM

OPERATION MURAMBATSVINA

The best person to talk sense into these mother fuckers in Zimbabwe r their children and family as long as we continue to harbor them outside the country letting them show off with money they r stealin and killin innocent zimbabweas for they will never change Their fathers think we r rats and so do the kids mwana wenyoka inyoka. lets continue to cause as much hardships as we can for these LIL BASTARDS lets call the authorities set them up NGATISHANDISEI MAZITA AVO FOR FRAUD as much as possible for any type of fraud your heart desires let them be falsey imprisoned like our perents LETS CALL IT OPERATION MURAMBATSVINA the ball is in ur courts lets drive out the filth

Posted By MURAMBA TSVINA , : Apr 19 2007 01:04 AM

operation murambatsvina ndizvo

taura wanguda lets also make them suffer and leave in fear.lets try by all means to send them back to there fucking fathers so they can tell them kuti chinja maitiro.freedom by all means necessary

Posted By anti zanu , fiyo harare : Apr 19 2007 01:36 AM

Good article

Good article. I would however like the write to make her/his facts strong by putting names to some ministers he/she is saying did A,B,C. As it is now US$1 = 20,000 - 30,000 Zim Dollars and yet when we go to the Net it is still US$1 to 250 Zim Dollar. How can one explain this? Actually I do not know whether we have fuel, wheat, maize, forex and other valuables in the country. City of Harare is falling. Roads are declining. Health care is gone and yet people continue to stand and say we are doing well. Education system has gone to the dogs. I don't know how all these are justified. I think other countries in Africa are doing better than us. In Zambia, Kenya, Malawi and SA we have no black market. People know that we need open markets, but in Zimbabwe it is a crime. I can see that people know the truth, but hat is the way forward?

Posted By Hondo , Zimbabwe : Apr 19 2007 02:13 AM

Sanctions

We've heard it a million times, Mugabe saying the sanctions cozed nhamo. To the millions tuned in to ZBC its only a matter of time before they start believing it. I used to think Zimbos are ignorant but now I think they are just brainwashed. The economic sanctions on Zimbabwe prohibit it to trade with the EU and USA. We used to export maize wheat tobacco etc and minerals copper steel etc. There are many markets outside the EU and US that would buy our stuff, but there is no stuff to sell see, coz there is no production. Importing wouldnt be a big deal either coz there are many countries that we can buy from in Asia. So why the hell does Mugabe blame the sanctions. Smith's Rhodesia had sanctions and embargos for the greater part of the 70's but the economy actually blossomed coz they improvised. I hate Gono. Gono imhata. Gono imbavha Gono igudo

Posted By Chokwadi , america : Apr 19 2007 05:17 AM

ZIMBOS ARE NOT DOCILE!

I'm very much encouraged by you Zimbos standing up to Robert Matibili! As a South African who has seen it all in Zim, Im doing my bit also at www.zimfinalpush.blogspot.com ZANU-PF is a desperate MAFIA ORGANISATION! NEVER GIVE UP! TOGETHER WE WILL COMPLETE THE CHANGE! MSH. RSA.

Posted By Rev M S Hove , Cape Town, RSA. : Apr 19 2007 06:06 AM

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