Much ado about Mugabe’s salary

The media was today awash with news about the sacrifices President Robert Mugabe has made to earn a meagre US$4 000 a month, the lowest salary for any Head of State in Southern Africa. While Mugabe’s salary is nothing compared to that of Barack Obama, or Jacob Zuma or Uhuru Kenyatta, sight must not be lost that it is still 13 times that of the average civil servant, who gets his or her salary from the same coffers as Mugabe. It is five times that of a Member of Parliament. It is folly to compare it to that of Happison Muchechetere or Reward Kangai or Cuthbert Dube because these people were earning exorbitant salaries that are essentially criminal. It is the lack of action on these CEOs that is likely to perpetuate corruption because it seems people can get away with it. This has happened before. What is needed is sterner action against one or two big bosses, especially the government ministers that have been fingered in the corruption at the ZBC and Air Zimbabwe, and not the small fry that is being fired for stealing US$2 000 after five months without a salary.

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