NOCZIM – the chickens have come home to roost
By Clifford Chitupa Mashiri, Political Analyst, London 22/01/11
In my view, the fuel problems being experienced in some parts of Zimbabwe
are due to what I would call 50 -50, meaning 50 percent NOCZIM’s management
fault and 50 percent politicians’ or government’s fault. We all know that,
in life we all have to face the consequences of our mistakes or bad deeds at
some stage, hence the proverb, ‘the chickens have come home to roost’ –
after scratching around in the yard! That is what is happening at NOCZIM.
Zanu-pf knew very well that NOCZIM was a ticking time bomb due to what
happened before the coalition government and handed it over to the MDC as
one of their responsibilities.
NOCZIM’s alleged corruption and gross mismanagement is well documented.
Despite corruption allegations and a few investigations resulting in yet
fewer prosecutions, it’s business as usual at NOCZIM. A writer to the
Zimbabwean was prompted to plead for action saying: “Thanks for a very
informative and in-depth paper. I would like you to investigate and expose
corruption, nepotism and looting at NOCZIM” (19/05/10).
In the past, we learnt that an estimated 250 million litres of fuel, mostly
diesel was being diverted by racketeers to illegal selling points since
2000. The fuel sold at inflated prices was going mostly to transport
operators including owners of commuter omnibuses in 200 litre drums. Last
year NOCZIM chefs awarded themselves hefty exit packages including company
vehicles at no charge, fuel allowance of an average 700 litres per month for
one year, an annual bonus, pension, funeral allowance equivalent to six
months’ salary and a relocation allowance of six months’ salary. It was
Christmas come early at NOCZIM.
In fact Zanu-pf succeeded in fermenting friction between the two MDC
Ministries (Finance and Energy) over NOCZIM’s fuel shortages at a time when
the country is being reluctantly dragged through an electioneering mode. MDC
needs to always make risk assessments before accepting certain ministerial
responsibilities as they can fall victim to blackmail as appears in this
case.
The only problem is that industry and commerce as well as innocent members
of the public have to pay for other people’s blunders through unbudgeted-for
costs such as fuel price increases, fare rises, loss of jobs and an
uncertain future. Businesses are forced to re-organise their production and
work systems including making some employees redundant due to the business
interruption caused by a man-made disaster. It’s very unfair that, because
some managers have failed to work efficiently, large parts of the country
have to suffer.
Here in the UK, they don’t allow for that. Someone would be made to take
responsibility. Last month the Transport Secretary (Minister) for Scotland
had to resign because of snow which disrupted travel as temperatures
plummeted to -25 degrees centigrade in some parts of Scotland. For the
reader in Zimbabwe, this may sound odd, but the facts are that when it snows
here, roads have to be sprayed with salt and grit (sand) to make it safe to
drive on snowy and icy roads.
However, salt and grit have proved ineffective at treating roads when
temperatures plunge below -10 degrees centigrade. Government is supposed to
provide the salt and grit as well as vehicles which spread it on the icy
roads. In the case of Zimbabwe’s NOCZIM, the problem is that of dollars and
cents – money.
As reported in the press, if diesel vanished during the week-ending January
20 because of a Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (ZIMRA) garnishee order of US35
million for unpaid taxes, then it was management’s fault because they should
have foreseen it coming and provided for the possible disruption to fuel
supply in the country. They should have made long term deals for the payment
of the ZIMRA tax shortfall e.g. through some bank products or facilities
without risking cuts in the arteries of the economy. The NOCZIM board of
directors, if any, should have strategic plans in place and the role of
management is to steer the company in the right direction like captains of
ships do on high seas.
Similarly, reports that Zimbabwe is failing to unlock an estimated 15
million litres of fuel stuck in the pipeline between Beira and Feruka as
well as 11 million litres of a ‘cocktail’ stuck between Feruka and Msasa
(Newsday, 20/01/11) belonging to private sector players is very
embarrassing. It is like the Shona saying which goes like this: ‘ kufa
nenyota iwo makumbo ari mumvura’ (literally means, dying of thirst when your
feet are in water! Not managing your resources efficiently can be fatal.)
It is very embarrassing for Zimbabwe to be having a fuel shortage in this
day and age because, with all its diamonds we hear about, how can the
country fail to have funds to import fuel and pump it into the pipeline from
Beira so that the product comes out at the other end? I just can’t believe
that is happening in Zimbabwe.
If Zimbabwe has idle storage capacity in Southerton and Msasa in Harare as
well as in Gweru why are the tanks empty? If Zimbabwe has the ability to
supply Zambia, Malawi, northern parts of Botswana and southern parts of the
Democratic Republic of Congo why is it failing to supply southern parts of
Zimbabwe resulting in price increases throughout the country? Is there
sabotage somewhere in the system?
There is no point in blaming the Minister of Finance for the garnishee order
because public revenue is needed to pay civil servants salaries apart from
other essential services. As Tendai Biti was recently quoted as saying, “we
can only eat what we have killed” (thezimbabwemail, 20/01/11). Those are
very wise words.
For God’s sake, let’s get our act together and get things moving. We have
been a laughing stock of the world for a long time. We should try and make a
difference. Our pride is at stake. So are people’s livelihoods. Sort it out
yesterday.
Clifford Chitupa Mashiri, Political Analyst, London,
[email protected]