Top stories for December 11-15

MDC calls for probe – The Movement for Democratic Change led by Morgan Tsvangirai today called for a commission of inquiry into all the country’s parastatals following the shock hefty allowances paid to suspended Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation chief executive Happison Muchechetere. Muchechetere was paid allowances totalling $12 000 on top of a salary of $27 000 a month. “The decay at ZBC is a manifestation of the rot in most parastatals. It is the MDC’s position that a Parliamentary inquiry should be established forthwith to investigate all State enterprises to stop the rot and ascertain how best they can be turned around; and put less burden on the already suffering taxpayer,” the MDC said in a statement. “The benefits that Muchechetere received with the blessing of the dismissed ZBC board vindicate the MDC’s position that there is rampant looting and corruption in most State enterprises and hence the call for investigation.”

Zimbabwe less a security risk than South Africa
Zimbabwe is less a security risk than South Africa but it has a higher political risk factor according to the 2014 riskmap compiled by British firm, Control Risks. Zimbabwe is in the low security risk category together with Botswana, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia and Zambia while South Africa is in the medium security risk. Zimbabwe, however, has a higher political risk while Malawi, Mozambique South Africa and Zambia are in medium risk. Botswana and Namibia have low political risk. The firm says: “The security risk rating evaluates the likelihood of state or non-state actors engaging in actions that harm the financial, physical and human assets of a company. It assesses the extent to which the state is willing and able to protect those assets and the extent to which state or non-state actors are capable of harming those assets. The impact of security risk on companies can include theft, injury, kidnap, damage to installations, information theft, extortion, fraud, expropriation and loss of control over business. Security risk may vary for companies and investment projects because of factors such as industry sector, investor nationality and geographic location.” “The political risk rating evaluates the likelihood of state or non-state political actors negatively affecting business operations in a country. It assesses the extent to which the state is willing and able to guarantee contracts and the extent to which non-state actors may threaten the viability of business operations. The impact of political risk on companies can include negative government policy, judicial insecurity, exposure to corruption, reputational damage, expropriation and nationalisation, and international sanctions. It assesses the extent to which political, economic and institutional stability may enhance or diminish the likelihood of these risks taking place. Political risk may vary for companies and investment projects because of factors such as industry sector and investor nationality.”

Don’t divide the people- Mugabe
President Robert Mugabe today said party leaders should not divide the people because you cannot build a united party when people are divided into camps. “We cannot build a united party when we divide people into camps of those who belong to so and so and those who belong to so and so. They belong to the party. They do not belong to me. They are not my people. They are members, yes of my party who support me. They are part of the organic entity to which I belong as a leader and all of them to me matter. I am saying this because mune chikonye muleadership kuti aa . . . uyu ndewanhingi, aiwa hatingamuvhoteri, uyu haandide, ko kana asingakude haakude. They are members of Zanu-PF…When we are Cdes, we are Cdes at arms, we are fighting together. We have one common enemy. The enemy of imperialism, neo-colonialism. That is the main enemy that Africa still has. They want to destroy us, we can see all the machinations that are going on. They get into our system into the African Union and want to influence things there. They have established very diabolic international institutions purporting to be people oriented like the ICC and the people who are tried there are only Africans. Let us not allow them to get us into the attack. We have refused to support that thing, the ICC … We should not be used. Never get used.”

Mat South best organised ZANUPF province
Matebeleland South today walked away with the prize for the best organised Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front province based on its performance in the 31 July elections which the party won overwhelmingly. Bulawayo province was the worst followed by Matebeleland North at number nine, according to the results announced by political commissar Webster Shamu at the party’s annual conference which ended today. ZANU-PF stronghold Mashonaland Central won the second prize while Manicaland, which was wrestled from the Movement for Democratic Change, got the third prize. Masvingo was in fourth place followed by Mashonaland East. Mashonaland West came sixth, with the Midlands in seventh place and Harare at number eight.

Fighters don’t die
President Robert Mugabe yesterday said fighters who are buried at the national Heroes’ Acre do not die. They fade away, but the country will continue to talk about their good deeds for years to come. Speaking at the burial of Eric Gwanzura at the national shrine, Mugade said: “We say isu, the person, we bury here does not die, he fades away. Fighters don’t die. Soldiers don’t die: they fade away. He has done so many good things. Left behind so many good things. Those things will continue to talk about him. And we will continue to talk about his deeds. Youngsters who come after us and who are with us, we will all tell them about our leaders and their good deeds. It is those good deeds, the activities that they rendered which we will talk about.”

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