The Mines and Mining Development Ministry permanent secretary, Pfungwa Kunaka, is accused of issuing a company called Inducon a waiver to continue the export of raw granite, despite a Government ban.
The Government banned the export of raw granite through Statutory Instrument 127 of 2022.
However, Kunaka reportedly issued a six-month waiver to Inducon to continue the raw export of granite, while shutting out others.
According to <a href="https://www.zimlive.com/mines-ministry-secretary-accused-of-circumventing-ban-on-granite-exports/">ZimLive</a>, four other companies – Rich Mark, Southern Granite, Quarrying Enterprises and Natural Stone – were denied the waiver and advised to seek cabinet approval.
Inducon’s preferential treatment reportedly came after a closed meeting with Kunaka.
ZimLive reported sources as saying applications for waivers by other miners including Quarrying Enterprises, Ilford Investments, Legacy, and Xeona Granite remain unprocessed.
A source within the Ministry of Mines, who prefers to remain anonymous, was quoted as saying:
<blockquote>
Granite exporters are questioning why Inducon Investments was granted a six-month waiver to export raw granite while the ban on raw granite exportation was put in place in 2022.
The only exceptions for exportation were supposed to be based on the production of a value addition plan and a contract with MMCZ, with a waiver period limited to three months.
</blockquote>
The source has labelled this situation as “abuse of office and corruption.”
More: <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

Pindula News

Mines Ministry Secretary, Pfungwa Kunaka Accused Of Circumventing Granite Export Ban

Harare Provincial Affairs and Devolution secretary Tafadzwa Muguti, has warned Chitungwiza councillors against dabbling in corrupt activities saying they will be arrested if they become wayward.
This comes after Chitungwiza councillors in 2022 gave each other graves which they then sold for US$500 per grave.
Muguti also warned the councillors against having unnecessary workshops in order to milk council coffers by generating allowances. He said:
<blockquote>
There is a policy you had last year where you gave each other graves. Stop It. Free graves are outlined in the office of the Minister of State through social welfare. We have been doing this since 1980.
In all your wards, there are social welfare officers. We know the poor people in your area. What you were doing last year, councillors identifying poor people and deciding who to dish out graves to. You think I did not know that some of you were selling the graves for US$500.
When you see us arresting you, it is because you would not have been transparent with my office. The chamber secretary is there to guide you when you have your meetings.
Don’t override him because he is your lawyer. If he tells you, ‘the law says don’t do this,’ don’t do it. This is coming with a very stern warning.
We don’t do workshops for the ease of generating allowances. We do them to enhance each other’s capacity. So you would rather do one workshop for three days than a scenario where today you are in Kariba and tomorrow you are in Masvingo.
</blockquote>
He also accused some councils of accumulating as much as 500 litres as fuel allowance.
Muguti said his office will not tolerate abuse of office by councillors.
More: <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

Tafadzwa Muguti Warns Chitungwiza Councillors Against Abuse Of Office

Two police officers were arrested recently on allegations of stealing US$158 000 from a suspect.
Addmore Musiza (34) and Tafara Machokoto (41) appeared before Harare magistrate Stanford Mambanje on Wednesday facing criminal abuse of office charges.
They were remanded in custody.
Prosecutors said that on 03 March 2023, at around 7 PM, Musiza and Machokoto who are stationed at CID Stores and Business, were assigned to investigate a theft case at National Foods.
The two interviewed the suspect, Edward Davai Mudowaye who had been arrested for stealing US$158 000 stolen from, National Foods, Aspindale, where he was employed.
Mudowaya said that he had given the money to Susan Jiri for safekeeping.
The suspect then led the two to Block 7 836 Matapi Flats, Mbare and recovered the loot from Jiri.
However, they did not bring back the cash as recovered property but instead shared it among themselves.
It is further alleged that the two later took Mudowaya to court claiming that they did not recover anything from him.
It is alleged that CID Homicide detectives received information about the offence and arrested the duo.
Musiza was allegedly found in possession of US$56 000 which he had buried in a maize field about 400 metres from his house.
Machokoto was found in possession of US$22 000 which he had given to his aunt in Aspindale Park, Harare.
Another US$3000 was recovered from Jiri.
More: <a href="https://zero.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

Two Police Officers Steal US$158 000 From Thief

Some staff members at Mnene Mission Hospital in Mberengwa have accused a senior employee and the accounts department at the hospital of corruption and abuse of office.
One of the disgruntled workers who spoke to Pindula News on condition of anonymity accused the hospital Matron, Mollie Marufu, of a litany of transgressions.
The nurse alleged that Marufu used to send her people to workshops who will in return give her gifts and money but now because those staff members are no longer at the hospital, she attends all the workshops. Said the nurse
<blockquote>
We are facing a challenge here at Mnene Hospital as nurses. The matron is abusing her office. She used to send people to workshops who will in return give her gifts and money.
Now because all these staff members are no longer at Mnene hospital, she, herself is now attending all the workshops, some of which are even meant for specific nurses.
In January, she was on vacation leave but she went to a COVID-19 vaccination programme.
In February, there was a workshop in Kwekwe which was meant for HIV testers yet she went again with only one nurse even though two nurses who are testers were supposed to attend.
In the second half of the month of February, the Matron was out for the vaccination programme which ran for two weeks.
This meant that ever since she returned from leave, she has constantly been out of the office. 
Does this mean nurses at Mnene Hospital are not allowed to attend those workshops or is it just a matter of greediness?
</blockquote>
A senior nurse at the hospital complained that since she was deployed to Mnene by the Ministry of Health and Child Care, she hasn’t attended a single workshop.
The nurse said there isn’t a single Registered General Nurse (RGN) or midwife at the hospital who is an HIV tester.
Another issue raised by the nurses is the alleged abuse of result-based funds (RBF) funds at the hospital. Said a nurse:
<blockquote>
The accounts department always delays in disbursing the incentive which should be given to staff.
Whenever a staff member goes for study leave or vacation leave, the individual will be removed from the list of people who are supposed to get the incentive.
At other hospitals, as long a person is on the paysheet, he or she will receive the incentive in hard cash.
But here at Mnene, they claim they deposit the money into Nostro accounts.
</blockquote>
The disgruntled nurses said the system in place is unfair because they will spend all the incentives on bus fares since they will need to travel to the bank to withdraw the paltry allowance.
The nurses also accused the accounts department of overcharging patients when they want to do a referral to Bulawayo. Added the nurse:
<blockquote>
This has been happening for so long, and as nurses, it pains us because these patients struggle to raise the money.
They charge US$120 for fuel to ferry the patient to Bulawayo, yet they will just buy fuel which cost US$60 and they will share the other US$60 amongst themselves.
</blockquote>
When contacted for comment, Marufu referred this reporter to the District Medical Officer (DMO) Dr Gwama who said he was busy at the time.
Efforts to reach the DMO later were fruitless as his mobile number was unreachable.
<h4>More: <a href="https://news.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a></h4>

Nurses At Mnene Hospital Accuse Senior Staffer Of Abuse Of Office

Speaking during a visit to farms in <a href="http://www.pindula.co.zw/Mashonaland_Central_Province">Mashonaland Central Province</a> to assess progress, Acting President, <a href="http://www.pindula.co.zw/Emmerson_Mnangagwa">Emmerson Mnangagwa</a> revealed that senior officials are taking advantage of their position to collect <a href="http://www.pindula.co.zw/Command_Agriculture_2016">command agriculture</a> inputs meant for farmers.
He also revealed that in some instances, senior officials are taking the whole lorry and leaving nothing for deserving farmers. Said Mnangagwa:
<blockquote>Now we are told some senior officials are now collecting inputs from districts at the expense of other small scale farmers and in some cases taking the whole lorry’s load. This is unacceptable and whoever has been doing so should stop that. Uyo anga achizviita ngaabva achera kakomba pasi apfire mate.</blockquote>
Mnangagwa also said that the command agriculture initiative was not a vote buying strategy for the 2018 election but said that every farmer will be accountable for every input they received.
More: <a href="http://www.herald.co.zw/farmers-face-audit-on-state-inputs/">Herald</a>

Senior officials taking advantage of their position to collect Command Agriculture inputs meant for farmers

The on-going tribunal involving suspended Prosecutor General <a href="http://www.pindula.co.zw/Johannes_Tomana">Johannes Tomana</a>, who is facing several charges involving criminal abuse of office, is expected to conclude this month with over 10 witnesses having testified so far.
Tomana’s lawyer Tazorora Musarurwa told NewsDay last Friday that the tribunal was set to be completed by December 20 this year, adding this would be determined by the remaining witnesses. Most of the witnesses, that have testified so far, are still serving members of the Prosecutor General’s (PG) office and former prosecutors, who allegedly acted under Tomana’s instructions, during his tenure in office, to decline prosecution or release some offenders.
Meanwhile, Tomana is also set to be tried at the High Court on February 13 next year after being indicted for trial last month.
More: <a href="https://www.newsday.co.zw/2016/12/05/tomanas-tribunal-nears-end/">NewsDay</a>

Tomana's tribunal expected to end this month

Former <a href="http://www.pindula.co.zw/NetOne_Zimbabwe">NetOne</a> chief executive officer, <a href="http://www.pindula.co.zw/Reward_Kangai">Reward Kangai</a> earned a mega salary more than that of most Heads of State and government in the world, crippling the country’s first registered mobile phone provider, board chairperson, Alex Marufu, has said.
Marufu made the remarks in his founding affidavit filed at the High Court in response to Kangai’s application seeking to challenge a disciplinary hearing, which was supposed to be held against him over alleged misconduct and abuse of office. The hearing has since been withdrawn and Kangai was served with a dismissal letter instead.
Part of the affidavit reads,
<blockquote>The declaratur sought is now superfluous and irrelevant on account of the termination of applicant’s (Kangai) employment by notice, and no grounds for bias have been established. If anything, the applicant himself is exhibiting an inclination to cling onto clear falsehoods against hard facts.</blockquote>
Commenting on Kangai’s claims of serving his former employer and doing well for the parastatal which he was accusing of refusing to engage him, Marufu said,
<blockquote>Indeed, it is admitted that the applicant (Kangai) has worked for 35 years for the former Posts and Telecommunications Corporation and respondent (NetOne). The applicant obviously worked well for the organisation, but he must admit two key things: Firstly, that respondent has not made profits at all notwithstanding being the first registered mobile phone service provider, and that regardless of the losses, he has been earning more than most Heads of States of third world countries and has personally built his estate successfully.</blockquote>
Commenting on Kangai’s claims that he had been dismissed by the NetOne board without his knowledge, Marufu said the allegations were unfounded. Kangai was initially sent on forced leave in March and officially suspended without pay and benefits on October 6 this year to facilitate investigations over the alleged abuse of millions of dollars. His contract was subsequently terminated on October 12 on a three-month notice.
More: <a href="https://www.newsday.co.zw/2016/11/03/kangai-earned-presidents-netone/">NewsDay</a>
 
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