By Perpetua Murungweni
The Government, through its treasury and various departments, has been accused of prioritizing paying those individuals and companies that allegedly give kickbacks at the expense of major contractors, companies and local authorities where some are reported to have gone for four years without being paid despite having supplied the goods and services, which left many citizens asking that ‘besides corruption who else is the government paying?’
Ironically, while the government is operating in debt, owing billions worth of devolution funds to local authorities and companies that it is failing to pay with some going for four years without receiving anything, the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC) is investigating tender corruption involving the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC), the Presidential Goat Scheme, and some private companies who were paid in advance by government but did not deliver the goods and services.
Business men Wicknel Chivayo, Mike Chimombe and Moses Mpofu are at the eye of a storm following allegations of corruption involving millions of United States Dollars (USD) among them the ZEC election material and mobile toilet tenders, and the Presidential Goats Scheme tenders.
State media, both Zimpapers and Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation (ZBC) also joined the bandwagon of private companies and local authorities that have been complaining of not being paid by government as they revealed to the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Information, Media and Broadcasting Services that their operations are crippled because government departments owe them billions of dollars (local currency).
Speaking at a budget consultation meeting held last month by Masvingo City Council, Mayor Alec Tabe pointed out that the major reason council was failing to complete its major projects was because they did not receive devolution funds from government for almost four years now.
“We have major projects that we started using devolution funds but they are still incomplete because government is not disbursing the funds. I don’t remember the last time we received the funds; I think it’s almost four years now,” said Tabe.
“Service delivery is compromised; the Mucheke trunk sewer will remain incomplete as long as government does not disburse devolution funds. This is just one of the many projects that are incomplete because we have not been receiving the funds for quite some time now. The non-disbursement stifles development and compromise provision of quality service delivery,” Tabe added.
Mwenezi Rural District Council (RDC) Chief Executive Officer Albert Chivanga said they only received a paltry ZWL 277 Million this year which they used to pay part of the Master Plan and for the past years they have been receiving devolution funds that does not tally with their yearly allocation.
“We received ZWL 277 Million and partly paid for the master plan preparation.We have been receiving part payments every year which were below the allocated amounts. The allocation does not usually tally with the disbursement, for example, you get ZWL50 million when you are allocated ZWL400 million. This year we were allocated about ZWL 2.4 billion and so far we have since received only ZWL 277 Million. Its affecting provision of quality service delivery,” said Chivanga.
The same sentiments were echoed by Gutu RDC Chief Executive Officer Alexander Mutembwa who said they last received full devolution funds in 2020. All these other years they have been receiving part payments.
“For this year we have only received a little for the devolution funds which we partly paid for the master plan. We last received devolution funds in full in 2020 and for the past years we have been receiving part of the allocated funds. There are a number of projects that are still incomplete because we are awaiting disbursement from government,” said Mutembwa.
Zaka RDC CEO David Majaura said the local authority received a share in February this year and the allocation was meant for the master plan.
“We received ZW$275 Million and we used the amount to pay for the Master plan initial deposit. There are projects at various stages of completion and we hope to complete them when we get the disbursement,” said Majaura.
Social commentators and citizens therefore, questioned who else is government paying besides companies that are linked to corruption? These companies are being paid in advance and still fail to deliver the goods and services, yet the companies who are being asked to first deliver the goods and services are not being paid at all.
Efforts to get a comment from the Minister of Finance and Economic Development Professor Mthuli Ncube on why treasury and other government departments are failing to pay companies that would have provided goods and services were futile as he was not picking up his mobile phone.
His deputy Kudakwashe Mnangagwa said he could not be drawn into commenting on the issue saying it was a prerogative of the minister himself, whilst the permanent secretary George Guvamatanga was not reachable.
Former deputy Minister of finance, Clemence Chiduwa, who chairs the parliamentary portfolio committee on finance said the permanent secretary of local government was the best port of call in that regard saying the ministry was responsible for allocation and distribution of devolution funds.
He said the ministry of finance simply releases funds and efforts to get the permanent secretary of local government were futile as Dr John Bhasera was not answering his mobile phone.
