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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38 comments
So imwi anavhanhu makamhanya kushora Sengere what’s your take pro corruption are we
Techzim you started off early… Last year you got a big win with the Ponzi scheme story, this year you can already claim a small win with this ZBC Starlink story.
Keep it up but don’t fly too close to the sun
Invoice is not even complaint with ZIMRA, VAT system it does not have electronic sihnatire producuced by VAT compliant system or even TARMA QR code. Shame on Zimbabwe shortcuts
TARMS
It’s not about the invoice but the use of a Starlink satellite dish.Invoices can be computer generated and can be accepted as proof of transaction.
Though ZNC is using Starlink, the invoice shows that the equipment belongs to the supplier, and I would guess that the exhorbitant charges were as per agreement. Paying of unreasonably high amounts on contracts seems to be the normal thing to do, be it for buying cars, building roads and bridges and other payments. Do these inflated payments pass through the accounts departments, or they are processed at the top? I think this is what did happen when busting sanctions by not going direct, but using a line of covers. Here ZBC got a front who would take bullets for them when the time comes.
It has become stressful to live in the country, as some people can commit crimes and not be arrested, leaving them to get advantage from the proceeds of the crime. Law enforcement gets to loggerheads when perpetrators of known and existing crimes commit the crime again, as they know that arresting some people is a waste of time, and may backfire. The law should not operate like the local dollar which the connected can easily get and use to mop up the US dollars.
It’s always people who introduce laws that are the problem
People have no role in formulating laws,but it’s the government or to put it straight ,Zanu(pf)which crafts unpopular laws as a way to spite the poor.
It’s like the current budget which was never brought to the people for their imput.and now Mtuli is having a difficult time as each week he has to craft a statutory Instrument to adjust it.
Statutory Instruments are what is destroying this country.
Corruption and theft and the real culprits!
Thank you Mr Sengere,I hope those who were vilifying you have eaten a humbke pie.
People want to defend the indefensible because they believe they know everything under the sun.Its not necessary to know everything but it’s necessary to enough to make you know.
“Since when do illegal deals attract VAT?” I was laughing just the other day when I saw a post that correctly pointed out a law that allows the IRS in America to let you declare and pay taxes on illegal income! It doesn’t even cause an automatic investigation! If Zim doesn’t have this on the books, they should make a plan😂
Back on topic, these parastatal waters are scary shark pits! No comment on the allegations, but let’s just say given recent ZBC scandals, I wouldn’t be surprised if she’s telling the truth.
King,S.K, and Anonymous where are they.Would like to hear more from the three experts.
I’m around guys
Mati kudiii
If it’s egregious and morally reprehensible and it involves the people in power in our tea pot shaped country. Don’t bother yourself fact checking because its probably true. Imagine the worst most corrupt and inept government that’s probably ours on a good day. Thank you Mr Sengere for playing your part.
Point of correction it’s LiveU and Aviwest
These are DMNGs digital mobile news gathering equipment
I had an interesting chat with Elon.
😂 😂 😂 you wish
LoL 😂😂😂😂 you wish
Who are you?
Lay with dogs and you wake up with flies
I think she is just hiding behind sexual harassment that happened years ago. The truth is she is laying, her defense is very weak. The question starts with her appointment. Was she the right candidate or was she imposed on zbc by someone?
She is female and and because of male stereotype gender orientated discrimination she is not believed.Just imagine she was your daughter or your wife going through such harrassment .It’s pathetic to say the least.
I’m not surprised at how the victim has became a target of male chauvinist pigs who feel she is a threat to them.She is qualified for the job that is why they had given it to her.She might be the daughter of veterans of the struggle but because her parents have no authority she is being sacrificed as ZBC is a political entity and you have to know someone up there if you want to survive the rat race.
Aiwa, you got everything wrong. The satellite dishes on Zbc vans is not Starlink, the satellite dish mounted on the roof top is not Starlink either so don’t get carried away by confusing the root of the argument. If a Starlink kit was purchased by Zbc & it’s being used by Zbc that’s one story to highlight but Sengere can’t feature photos of different satellite systems and claim that they are Starlink. Those pictures Sengere published are not pictures of Starlink equipment period. Get your story right Mr Sengere you are trying so hard to stick something on nothing & it won’t stick my brother, ma systems acho haafambirani
Ahh nhai mukuru ko invoice iripo wani dont just argue for the sake of arguing
🙄Is it age, autism, an inability to understand how context works or just simple vested interests? I’m really curious
Hudofo here veduwe kune vanhu vakamirira kupikisa chete kkk chero dai Sengere ati those r not starlink equipment still aingopikisa chete haa I give up it’s evident kuti those are Starlink equipment on ZBC OB Van n Herald house
@Zakajerera…. What is the basis of your intransigent assertion that those ZBC and ZimPapers gadgets are NOT Starlink? Give us concrete evidence of what they are if they are not Starlink.
By the way, a Toyota Rider twin cab 4×4 is a very nice car but definitely it’s not a Ford Ranger twin cab 4×4. The two may look alike but they are just two different brands & they operate & perform differently. The satellite systems that were published are nowhere near Starlink satllite equipment. Period.
Your comparison is flawed. It’s more like comparing a Tesla Model 3 Plaid to a 1977 Mazda B1800. You just keep refusing to see the difference
VaGabarinocheka, well said about your comparison between Toyota and Mazda. Where you run out of steam is when you say the system is not Starlink without telling us what it is , what the differences are between Starlink and your Nameless gadget. While you are at it can you also tell us the differences between Starlink and the gadget of your fertile imagination?
Dog eat dog situation. You can’t tell if it’s going or coming. The minister needs to come out clean, otherwise credibility is at its lowest. The invoice????. Someone tell us what’s the gadget on ZBC vans and invoices. Only then we can compare. Finance dept can assist on this one. Surely exorbitant charges came out of ZBC coffers.
Yes those dishes belong to StarLink. I’m here to celebrate the kicking off of a propagandist. How I wish the whole DeadBC is chucked out for abusing our ears and insulting our intelligence through churning out sickening propaganda disguised as news.
I only sympathize with those who don’t applaude propaganda if they are arrested or taken to task over using StarLink not these charlatans who sing for their supper.
Ok ok I think Adelaide is just being used as a scapegoat. The real issues here seems politics of those in echelons of power. The previous board vs the new board, the former minister vs the current minister. Remember Chris Mutsvangwa has just been hounded out of govt and here there are talks of his son running star link. These are issues that are bigger than ordinary. The minister knows the politics. The current board knows its handlers and who actually ordered Chikunguru’s suspension. Fine let’s say zbc has been using starling, but zimpapers too. What happened to the zimpapers boss? Nothing. So it happens that some people are the black sheep who are punished for associating with unwanted elements
Ok ok I think Adelaide is just being used as a scapegoat. The real issues here seems politics of those in echelons of power. The previous board vs the new board, the former minister vs the current minister. Remember Chris Mutsvangwa has just been hounded out of govt and here there are talks of his son running star link. These are issues that are bigger than ordinary. The minister knows the politics. The current board knows its handlers and who actually ordered Chikunguru’s suspension. Fine let’s say zbc has been using starlink, but zimpapers too. What happened to the zimpapers boss? Nothing. So it happens that some people are the black sheep who are punished for associating with unwanted elements . It happens especially in the govt ministries and parastatals. Many people have been forced out on spurious allegations
Ma’am there is no justifiable reason to ban Starlink. We are keeping our people in the stone age. Are our operators afraid, yes they should for good reason. $40 for unlimited highspeed internet is a game changer, and whenever there is a restriction there is a black market, and you leak your own revenue.
On the other hand the operators are right to try and protect their market share because they have spent millions of dollars in licence fees and IAP fees. These will be recouped from the customer, it’s simple business, return on investment.
How much does Kenya, South Africa, Zambia, Mozambique charge for licensing fees? If we extrapolate the figures we will see why our internet is one of the most expensive in the World, hamstringing eCommerce, knowledge, information and crucially our GDP.
The onus is on your to remove the barriers to production, over regulation being one of them. You people also deserve nice things. The flip side you will garner support by making good policy and you won’t have to sleep with one eye open.
The ball is in your court.
#DataMustFall