Top Zanu-PF officials including the two vice-presidents, Simon Muzenda and Joseph Msika, have benefited from funds from the Irrigation Rehabilitation Programme designed to resuscitate irrigation last year. Irrigation equipment worth millions of dollars was either looted or vandalised during the farm grab which started in 2000. Government last year announced a $1,2 billion package to rehabilitate the equipment and Zanu PF senior politicians have topped the list of beneficiaries. Documents show that of the $1,2 billion availed, ruling party cronies received over $873 million. There are fears that some of the public funds may not be recovered as has been the case with other such facilities where officials have refused to pay back loans. The funds were made available at the same time as the tillage and restocking programme funds.
| Lemme take my socks off here... Hmmm... Carry the 4... Divide by the square root of 873... That's just about 73% of the dough that got looted by the pols... |
Msika received $8,4 million while Muzenda got $4,3 million under the programme, according to Arda (Agricultural and Rural Development Authority) documents. This is not the first time Zanu PF chefs have jumped on the gravy train. In 1997 a High Court case revealed that senior officials diverted funds meant to build houses for middle-income civil servants. In 1998 party officials were also implicated in the looting of the War Victims Compensation Fund. The Zanu PF "who's who" list has also featured in the tally of those accused of unfairly benefiting from a District Development Fund project which saw drilling equipment diverted to private properties. Some of the beneficiaries of the latest scheme include Youth Development minister Elliot Manyika who received $10 million, Finance minister Herbert Murerwa who received $6,2 million, Justice minister Patrick Chinamasa $910 000, and Zanu PF MPs Webster Shamu and Didymus Mutasa who received $6 million and $7 million respectively. War veterans' leaders who also benefited include Chris Pasipamire ($5 million) and controversial municipal official Joseph Chinotimba ($6,5 million). Also listed were defence chief Vitalis Zvinavashe, who received $8,8 million, police commissioner Augustine Chihuri who secured $13,2 million, and the controversial Joceylin Chiwenga who got $3,2 million.
| Guess I can figure why ZimBobWe's tourism industry's dropped off so badly: nobody can stand the smell... |
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