THE Zimbabwe National Road Administration (Zinara) has been
paying two salaries for two chief executive officers for the past 12 months,
while thousands of United States dollars were spent on hairstyle, food hampers,
and gym allowances for managers, legislators heard yesterday.
Zinara has also been paying a salary for suspended chief
executive officer Mrs Nancy Masiyiwa-Chamisa since June 2018 together Mrs
Mathlene Mujokoro, who is the acting CEO.
It also emerged that Zinara spent US$4 000 on each director
in buying and installing gym equipment at their residences, but the road
authority went on to pay monthly subscriptions for their gym at upmarket clubs
in Harare.
More than US$60 000 was also spent on hairstyle allowance
with one boutique pocketing more than US$25 000 on having hair done for Zinara
female managers.
This came out yesterday when Transport and Infrastructural
Development Minister Joel Biggie Matiza appeared before Parliament’s Public
Accounts Committee to give evidence on an audit report prepared by
Auditor-General Mrs Mildred Chiri as he unearthed the historical corruption
that obtained at the parastatal before the new administration of President Mnangagwa.
Committee chairperson Mr Tendai Biti (MDC-Alliance) said
they had been informed that Zinara was paying salaries for both Mrs
Masiyiwa-Chamisa and Ms Mujokoro.
“As we speak now, negotiations between that CEO and the
board are in progress to make sure that they come to an agreement. There is a
process of scouting for a new CEO for this organisation. These are processes
that are going on which are not being made public, sooner we will have a new
structure, once we have a substantive CEO,” said Minister Matiza.
Dzivaresekwa MP, Mr Edwin Mushoriwa (MDC-Alliance) asked
why conducting negotiations with Mrs Masiyiwa-Chamisa and not disciplinary
proceedings if there was any offence that she committed.
“When there is a report of corruption and maladministration
and when you hear that there are negotiations with the former CEO, what comes
into our mind is a golden handshake that is going to be given. We were
expecting to see heads roll, but you now have a softer approach unless you are
saying the board suspended a wrong person,” said Mr Mushoriwa.
In response, Minister Matiza said while he concurred with
the concern the board was seized with the issue and a lasting solution would be
found.
Marondera Central MP, Mr Caston Matewu (MDC-Alliance)
questioned why Zinara paid US$4 000 as gym allowance for each director, but
went on to pay subscriptions at different clubs.
“How can you buy gym equipment for their homes and at the
same time pay their subscription at a club,? said Mr Matewu.
Mr Biti said according to the audit, management got US$3
000 each for corporate wear for the year under review, two directors that were
paid in excess of what was approved in the contract of employment among other
issues.
“Our concern is that we do not see a satisfactory position
by the Minister of ensuring that measures have been taken to stop the rot. It
is not enough, with all due respect, just to say that we have a new board.
“We would have thought that there must be evidence of
action taken against employees, we have interviewed them and they are very
arrogant and they are still there. How do you continue giving the same company
money when it has failed to perform? What have you done to go to those
companies that performed, but did not perform, like Badon?
“We are not hearing a convincing story going forward
arising out of the omission of the past. I can assure you, although I am not a
prophet, that the 2018 and 2019 audit report will be talking about the same
thing,” said Mr Biti. Herald
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