Listen, I understand why we often find it hard to believe some of the things our govt and its parastatals get up to. You think, ‘They couldn’t be blatant with it like this, could they?’ – and the answer is often a resounding yes, they can blatantly flaunt the rules they set for you.
In the past few weeks, we talked about the reports we were getting from people working in the govt that ZBC and Zimpapers were using Starlink kits. There were images circulating on social media seemingly showing that to be the case.
Now, the Standard reports that that was indeed the case. Adelaide Chikurungu, the CEO of ZBC, recently resigned after being suspended while the national broadcaster investigated her.
One of the reasons for investigating her was the company’s purchase of a Starlink kit. The kit was allegedly bought from former Information minister Monica Mutsvangwa’s son Neville.
We have seen what seems to be an invoice to ZBC from Neville:
In typical parastatal behaviour, ZBC overpaid. The invoice shows that the kit was given out for free but there were setup fees of $1500 and ‘Gold Packages’ of $1200.
Are those gold packages supposed to represent monthly subscriptions? If so, that’s ridiculous because Starlink subs are as low as $37 a month in some countries.
What’s crazy is that there is a Value Added Tax (VAT) charge. Since when do illegal deals attract VAT? This is like your neighbourhood drug dealer collecting Withholding Tax.
Of course, ZIMRA did not get a cent of that, it was simply to make the invoice look legitimate since it raises a lot of questions when you procure from non-VAT registered companies on behalf of the govt.
That’s an inflated invoice if I have ever seen one and I bet someone at ZBC got a little something for the deal.
What led Adelaide to do this?
According to the Standard, ZBC used Live View, and Aviworth internet services for live streaming in rural areas or when out and about and connectivity was sketchy.
ZBC ran up debts and they were cut off. Adelaide jumped on Starlink to get around that problem. This is an understandable action considering the situation her organisation found itself in.
Our beef is not with ZBC or Zimpapers using Starlink. It is with the govt trying to act all security-conscious and scaring Starlink off.
However, Adelaide denies all of it.
Adelaide responds
In a LinkedIn post, she clarified some of the crazy stuff that’s been circulating regarding her suspension and eventual resignation. She addressed a number of things:
On 27 September 2021 at Chimanimani World Radio Day when Minister Muswere was Minister of ICT, he made advances to me via WhatsApp which I have, and I turned him down! He continued to pester me until he stopped as I was not interested in him!
My family is concerned by the lies that are being spurned out by the ZBC aimed at ruining my image and my good name.
1) I have not misappropriated any funds if I had would the Finance Director be made Acting CEO
2) All trips I undertook were approved by my Board Chairman
3) ZBC does not have a contract or agreement with Nevile Mutsvangwa’s Starlink and has never done business with him or any of his associates
4) Jive TV is available on terrestrial TV and AZAM. The Mutsvangwas do not own AZAM neither are they directors of AZAM. ZBC was also in talks with DSTV to have Jive on DSTV bouquet documents are available.
5) I did not purchase any awards however I have received many awards during my time as recognition of the work we were doing. We did pay for employees to attend dinners and at times ZBC did sponsor congratulations adverts or profile adverts of the ZBC in support of the organisation or employees who would be winning the awards. This is common practice.
6) I have received an onslaught from the day of the appointment and the workers’ committee was manipulated to push certain agendas. There was also conflict with regards to the former CEO being appointed Board Chairman in under 3 years and this breaches the Corporate Governance Regulations.
7) My life is at risk. On 16 June I was involved in an accident with security personnel this was after my appointment. Further, going to the ZANU PF conference in Bindura, my wheels had been tampered with and locknuts removed. There are audios where she is heard that if she can’t remove me then she will have to exterminate me. As she is under instruction from the principal!
She says ZBC never did any business with Neville Mutsvangwa or any of his associates. Some sources within ZBC say the opposite and provide the invoice above as evidence.
I think she could be telling the truth and if that’s the case then the transaction was carried out without her knowledge. So, she should have prefaced her statement with, “To my knowledge…” – because ZBC appears to have been in business with Neville.
The Standard reports a senior ZBC manager saying,
The board feels the purchase of a Starlink kit, which is not registered in Zimbabwe was a violation of the law and posed a very serious national security threat. Since it’s not registered in the country, it also posed a serious reputational risk to ZBC.
I don’t agree with the argument but it remains true that Starlink is illegal. However, this all means the legions of ZBC defenders who could not believe it was indeed Starlink we were seeing on ZBC vans were wrong.
ZBC was using Starlink and Adelaide is being thrown to the wolves because of it. Some believe her rejection of Muswere may be the real reason she was driven out.
Perhaps the recent decline in favour of Neville’s father, Chris, is the reason these deals are surfacing, with Adelaide simply caught in the crossfire.
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