THE Media, Information and Broadcasting Services ministry has placed the blame on obscene salaries being earned by parastatal bosses on lax controls during the inclusive government and hyper-inflation period.
BY STAFF REPORTER
Principal director in the ministry Regis Chikowore told editors at the Zimbabwe National Editors Forum (Zinef) annual general meeting at the weekend in Harare that the roots of the obscene salaries that have made national headlines was the onset of the inclusive government.
“The transition phase from a hyperinflation era where our own currency devalued to unprecedented high levels rendering our currency virtually valueless . . . this period coincided with the advent of the inclusive government which made it almost impossible to police public institutions as appointments and oversight was being done on partisan political lines,” he said.
There has been public anger following disclosures that former ZBC chief executive Happison Muchechetere earned $40 000 a month while Premier Service Medical Aid Society (PSMAS) boss Cuthbert Dube took home $230 000.
Salaries of other CEO’s in other parastatals have, however, remained a closely guarded secret with increasing calls by legislators to have their payments and perks made public to ensure tighter controls.
“The public has only seen the tip of the iceberg, Muchechetere and Cuthbert Dube (CEO of PSMAS who earns a quarter of a million monthly) should have pushed a serious government to ensure all CEO’s at public companies declare their salaries and perks, but those who are still in favour with those in power will remain protected while drawing huge salaries,” Mbizo MP Settlement Chikwinya (MDC-T) said in an interview.
Meanwhile, Chikowore said it was the duty of editors to ensure that the public had a full understanding of events in the country hence they should go beyond scratching the surface by digging deep to unravel the origins of problems.
