Vice-President Emmerson Mnangagwa early this year
reportedly ordered the Post and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority
(Potraz) to loan the Zimbabwe Football Association (Zifa) $1 million from the
Universal Services Fund (USF), but the local soccer governing body is yet to
pay back the money amid claims the debt has been written off.
There are fears that the money, which is meant for telecommunications
infrastructure development and establishment, could have been looted in a
scandal that could drag in the Vice-President, Information Communication
Technology minister Supa Mandiwanzira and Zifa boss, Philip Chiyangwa.
Potraz and government sources said Chiyangwa, in his
capacity as Zifa president, approached Sports minister Makhosini Hlongwane
seeking help to bankroll the senior soccer team’s travel to Gabon.
Hlongwane, in turn, reportedly engaged Mnangagwa, who
ordered Potraz to “loan” Zifa $1m, which went towards payment of allowances and
other administrative costs for the national team.
“The money was initially said to be a loan and later Potraz
wrote off the loan,” a source said.
“We wonder in what capacity the loan was written off, as
Potraz is not a bank.”
USF is a fund set up for development of telecommunication
infrastructure and facilities so that everyone in the country has access to
telecommunication services.
“Football is not a telecommunication service and Zifa is
not a telecommunication service provider,” the source said.
Contacted for comment on Tuesday, Mandiwanzira confirmed
the Zifa bailout by Potraz, saying it was “normal” for parastatals to help
other State agencies and the assistance was treated as a loan, which should be
repaid.
“The Universal Services Fund was approached on behalf of
Treasury, on many occasions, to advance its unused financial resources to fund
various national causes. These advances have been on the strict understanding
that they will be refunded,” he said.
“The ministry is aware that part of the resources have been
used to bail out national teams participating in international tournaments,
including football, basketball and the recently-held youth games.
“It is not the prerogative of USF to determine how money
requested by the government should be utilised. Its responsibility is to ensure
that the money is repaid.
“None of the money advanced to the government by the USF
has been written off, contrary to your assertions. This includes $40 million
advanced to Treasury in 2012 under the then Finance minister Tendai Biti.”
Chiyangwa refused to comment on the matter before he went
ballistic, accusing NewsDay of pursuing a personal vendetta against him.
“Take your matter to your sources, Philip Chiyangwa has no
business with NewsDay,” he said, before terminating the call.
In the past, Econet has complained about USF, saying there
was a lack of accountability and has not seen the money from the fund being
used to increase access to telecommunications.
USF is a pool of money into which the country’s licensed
telecommunications companies contribute 2% of their annual revenue.
The fund was established to finance the expansion of
telecommunications services in outlying areas, which are underserviced.
Zifa received money from USF to fund the Warriors’
participation at the Africa Cup of Nations tournament in Gabon early this year.
Newsday
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