The beneficiaries in unmistakable regalia
In November 2008 the South African government announced that its Cabinet had approved a R300 million (US$1million) humanitarian aid package for Zimbabwe to be released to the inclusive government resulting from the political agreement signed on 15 September 2008.
The aid package was announced as a carrot to induce the feuding Zimbabwe parties into quickly resolving differences that were hindering implementation of the political agreement they had struck before former South Africa President Thabo Mbeki in his capacity as SADC chief mediator on Zimbabwe.
The parties dithered and procrastinated rather than respond positively to the carrot.
The reason was SADC had in haste took a decision to compel protagonists in Robert Mugabe’s Zanu PF and Morgan Tsvangirai’s MDC to legislate the 15 September agreement and co-minister the disputed Home Affairs Ministry.
This was done despite evidence that the dispute was not restricted to the home Affairs Ministry but rather the equitable sharing of key Ministries and senior governmental positions between Mugabe and Tsvangirai.
When by the end of December it became apparent that the envisaged inclusive government for Zimbabwe would not be in place in time for the humanitarian aid, a major component of which was in seasonal agricultural inputs, South Africa decided to release the aid notwithstanding that the unity government formation precondition had not been realised.
If the MDC had made such a dramatic U-turn on any of its policy statements it would be slaughtered for flip flopping rather than gain accolades for dynamism.
Be that as it may the aid package estimated to translate into 10 million litres of fuel, 12 700 tonnes of maize seed, 8 500 tonnes of fertilizer (Compound D), 2 800 tonnes of Ammonium Nitrate fertilizer and 2 404 tonnes of small grain seeds was released ostensibly for distribution by non partisan and nongovernmental infrastructure a South African reconnaissance mission had pre-release established to exist and have capacity to fairly distribute the aid.
South Africa government spokesman Thabo Masebe indicated that his government was forced to respond with release of the aid by the dire humanitarian situation in the country.
Naturally critics of the Mugabe Junta regime were not amused by the South African government’s intervention which they said was going to be politicised and used to prolong Junta rule in the country.
Observers argue that the decision was made to support political relevance of long term ANC allies in Zanu PF more so than out of empathy for the ordinary Zimbabweans whose rights to elect a leader South Africa was leading SADC to vitiate.
They point to the link between the decision to release the withheld aid package to the gazetting of Constitutional Amendment No 19 by Robert Mugabe’s Junta and conclude that aid was released as reward for Junta’s compliance with SADC ruling on the way forward with formation of the inclusive government.
It now turns out that the SADC Zimbabwe Humanitarian Development Assistance Framework South Africa was also urging the other members of the 15 nation group to send humanitarian aid to, is nothing more than a disguised Zanu PF benefit fund.
ZimSentinel can disclose that the SADC aid package for Zimbabwe is still being distributed on party partisanship lines by established Zanu PF structures.
In Mutasa our correspondents were able to capture images of beneficiaries of the donated maize seed packs in Zanu PF regalia.
These pictures were taken 200m from the Mutasa GMB depot and 100m from a 24hr roadblock at Bonda junction manned by heavily armed Army and Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP).officers.
The beneficiaries claimed that the seed was coming from the President of Zanu (PF), one Robert Gabriel Mugabe.
In a related incident Radio VOP reports that Masvingo District administrator, Felix
Mazvidza is suspected to have diverted 30 tonnes of maize seed meant for
ZANU PF supporters to the black market, although he has denied the
accusation.
Mazvidza is reported to have confirmed that aid distribution is being directed by Zanu PF and not any other framework as the South African government would like us to believe.
"As you know, I work closely with ZANU PF officials, and take instructions from them. Charumbira is my senior, even the District Co-ordinating Committee (DCC) chairpersons. They tell me when and how to distribute the seed and I will do so," he is reported to have responded to allegations of impropriety in distribution of the SADC and South Africa aid package.
While this open abuse of power and greed is being exhibited by Zanu PF disturbing reports are reaching ZimDaily that the Zimbabwe National Army has failed to deposit soldiers’ salaries in their banks because experienced paymasters have deserted the army due to poor remuneration on offer.
The soldiers have also been told to stop daydreaming about being paid salaries in foreign currency like their commanders.
Teachers, Nurses and Doctors are demanding payment in forex and in particular Health professionals have secured concessions from the Junta albeit at unacceptable low levels of pay.
The Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions is also pushing for payment of its members’ salaries and wages in forex as the Zimbabwe dollar continues to be shunned by many suppliers of goods and services including State controlled and or owned institutions such as Net One and ZESA.
ZimSentinel has it on good authority that most Diplomatic Missions staffers have not been paid their salaries for at least six months because the State does not have enough foreign currency to pay them with in foreign lands.
The situation is of grave concern to Diplomatic staffers many of whom are living in constant fear of being evicted from State rented accommodation they occupy whose rental payments are also in arrears for corresponding periods.
It is hard to see how the Junta regime can continue to pacify the restive employees in its service and those working in private enterprise unless forex inflows increase dramatically in the immediate future.
The Junta regime is feeling the heat under its collar and has beefed up security patrols to stem out any thoughts the impoverished workers may have of staging an uprising against the Junta.
The apparent urgency to conclude inclusive government formation seems to be rooted in the knowledge the Junta has about the extent of discontent with it in and outside the country.
The problem though is that the demands that can unlock the unity government formation logjam have a debilitating impact on the Zanu PF hegemony on power and that prospect is too ghastly to contemplate for a criminal cabal that has entrenched itself in power for over 28 years.
And as for South Africa and SADC humanitarianism, we can only repeat the warning we have given Zimbabweans in the past.
You can choose to trust Robert Mugabe and his Zanu PF at your own peril. Zimbabweans know how best to respond to Mugabe without getting hurt and they will innovate ways to survive with or without SADC help.
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