Army General to head empowerment body
http://www.thezimbabwemail.net
Staff Reporter 23 hours 49 minutes ago
HARARE – Government has appointed a new National Indigenisation and Economic
Empowerment Board (NIEEB) headed by Retired Lieutenant General Mike
Nyambuya.
This follows the expiry of the outgoing board that was led by David
Chapfika, whose term of office lapsed on 1 October.
Some members of the outgoing board who were not retained include former
chairman, Chapfika.
Youth Development, Indigenisation and Empowerment Minister, Saviour
Kasukuwere says the new board has experts in the legal field, entrepreneurs,
economic experts and academics who have vast experience and will add value
to the indigenisation and empowerment programme.
The board is expected to ensure that all foreign-owned entities comply with
the indigenisation and economic empowerment legislation, complete the
development of the national empowerment policy framework, and to implement
empowerment programme across the country.
Other board members include Sakhile Masuku, Spencer Chihota, Wilson
Gwatiringa, Ellen Gwaradzimba, Adam Molai, Tinashe Rwodzi, Dayford Nhema,
Desire Sibanda, Farai Mutamangira, Prince Mupazviriho, Tsarai Mungoni,
Thankful Musukutwa and Simon Musanhu.
NIEEB was established under the Indigenisation and Economic Empowerment Act
to spearhead the role of the indigenous majority in the country’s mainstream
economy and the attendant benefits of improving their standards of living.
Fierce wrangles have erupted over the administration and disbursement of the
funds allocated to community share ownership trusts launched by President
Robert Mugabe last year as part of Zanu PF’s campaign to regain critical
rural voters ahead of elections next year.
The tiffs pit the Ministry of Youth Development, Indigenisation and Economic
Empowerment, which initiated the schemes, the Ministry of Local Government,
the custodian of the trustees who are chiefs, and the National
Indigenisation and Economic Empowerment Board (NIEEB) that is responsible
for the disbursement of funds.
Sources say these three organs are fighting among themselves while at times
conniving to loot the funds that would have been contributed by companies
that have complied with the indigenisation laws, leaving the intended
beneficiaries, the communities, out of the equation.
“There are three arms that are wrestling for total control of the schemes
and this results in lack of accountability,” said a well-placed source in
the Indigenisation ministry.
The source said the funds, administered by NIEEB, are being run in an opaque
manner, creating fertile ground for rampant corruption and embezzlement.
The militarisation of the new board of directors for (NIEEB) was likely to
worsen transparency and accountability deficits which the previous board
incurred.
Indigenisation minister Saviour Kasukuwere yesterday announced a new board
of directors for NIEEB, chaired by retired Major-General Mike Nyambuya. The
board includes Indigenisation acting secretary George Magosvongwe, legal
practitioner and member of the previous board Farai Mutamangira and founder
and chairman of Savanna Tobacco Company and outgoing board member Adam
Molai, among others.
The appointment of Nyambuya to the helm of the indigenisation fund further
consolidates militarisation of institutions Zanu PF deems strategic to its
political and economic survival. Nyambuya joins the ranks of retired
Brigadier Mike Karakadzai at NRZ, ZTA’s colonel Karikoga Kaseke and ZBC
financial director Brigadier General Elliot Kasu, among others.
Kasukuwere’s ministry yesterday also presented compliance certificates to
companies that registered their approved indigenisation programmes. The
certificates were issued by NIEEB.
However, there has been no fanfare surrounding the issuance of shares
certificates to beneficiary communities, nor has there been much publicity
about the trust deeds.
It is this opacity which those involved say is creating opportunities for
rent-seeking behaviour and corruption. Last year, five chiefs in Zvishavane,
namely Mazvihwa, Masunda, Mapanzure, Wedza and Mafala, dipped into US$2
million dollars from Mimosa Mine under the Zvishavane Community Share
Ownership scheme. The chiefs then awarded themselves US$5 000 each as
sitting allowances for meetings they attended to decide on how to share the
money.
This sparked a furore with Local Government minister Ignatius Chombo who
directed the Zvishavane chiefs to return part of the US$2 million they had
shared among themselves. Chombo ordered that the funds be administered by
Zvishavane district administrator, with Runde Rural District Council
conducting disbursements of the funds.
In an interview yesterday, Kasukuwere said the funds should be run by local
boards comprising chiefs, councillors, a lawyer and an accountant, who is
the custodian of the scheme which is given a share certificate. He said the
empowerment programme is set to benefit the communities and not the
individuals.
“The community benefits through construction of infrastructure like roads,
clinics, schools and water facilities,” he said.
Outgoing NIEEB chairman David Chapfika dismissed allegations of
misappropriation, maintaining that once funds have been disbursed the onus
on what to do next lies with the local board of trustees, which includes
chiefs. He also refuted allegations that funds remain held in the NIEEB
accounts instead of being deposited into the trustees’ accounts.