Prof Jonathan Moyo and the ZIMDEF scandal: The arrogance of being ethically ignorant.

By Lenin Tinashe Chisaira

Prof Jonathan Moyo (Newsday)

Professor Jonathan Moyo has been the top newsmaker this October. He has employed breath-taking arrogance via social media and at the Madziwa Teachers’ College graduation ceremony trying to dismiss mounting allegations of corruption and unethical conduct on his part as Minister of Higher and Tertiary Education, Science and Technology Development. The main focus was on allegations of abuse of power and of outright looting by the Minister as the trustee of the Zimbabwe Manpower Development Fund (ZIMDEF). With reports that he is being investigated by the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission over misuse of ZIMDEF’s US$430 000, the Minister has arrogantly given statements to the effect that either the money misused either too little or had been used to fund national events. The last straw he has clutched at, was in very publicly likening himself to Robin Hood, indicating that he was taking from the rich and giving to the poor.

The Robin Hood angle has been overplayed

A shot from a Robin Hood film

As said before, in one of his defences, the Minister likened himself to the fictional character Robin Hood. Robin Hood, an historic English outlaw who was great at archery and would rob the rich to give to the poor, is a great character when it comes to the political discourse on distribution of wealth. Unfortunately for the Minister, his deputy Godfrey Gandawa and the latter’s phony company Fuzzy Technologies which is at the centre of the alleged misuse of public funds, Robin stole from the rich. The ZIMDEF fund from which the Minister and his accomplices stole from is by no means a fund for the rich, rather it is a fund meant to, among other things which are associated with the development of poor students and apprentices, provide for and promote the research, planning and development of human resources. At least these are some of the objectives outlined in the Manpower Planning and Development Act [Chapter 28:02].

Arrogance and Ignorance

It is surprising how ‘big’ people in Zimbabwe can be arrogant when they are so ignorant about ethics. Zimbabwe does not have a leadership code and the progressive 1984 Zanu Pf Leadership Code has long since been so violated that it has now become an empty code. But that is no excuse for the arrogance being displayed by Ministers when they are found with their hands in the public coffers. Some have allegedly stolen money from parastatals, bought the latest cars and called it pocket money; others have built extravagant houses and yet others have stayed in hotels whilst dismissing good houses and whilst their own voters, workers and supporters continue to live in slums and badly-serviced neighbourhoods.

ZIMDEF Logo

Despite all these shenanigans, very few serious investigations have been conducted. This sends wrong signals and office holders in Zimbabwe seem to feel that stealing from state coffers is tolerable by both law enforcement agents and the generality of the mases. Hence it is important that the public, activists, media, opposition and law enforcement agencies be vigilant and treat the ZIMDEF case with the seriousness it deserves.

Factionalism or not, government perpetrators must face the music

It is a play on the intelligence of the Zimbabwean people when public office holders hide behind their own political party infightings to brush aside allegation of abuse of public funds. The current trend by Zanu PF ministers of blaming factionalism whilst ignoring the serious charges they face is becoming nauseating. We do not care about the factional politics in the ruling party, we are concerned when the people we entrust with public office and public resources abuse the same resources and the same duties with impunity.

 Whilst every person is presumed innocent until proven guilty, Prof Moyo and his colleagues must not play hide and seek games with the law. To quote a line from New York Times to Donald Trump recently, it is time that we welcome the opportunity for the unethical views and arrogance of the Minister and his colleagues to be made right by a court of law. We also welcome the chance for the same courts to correct the Minister’s arrogance and ethical ignorance and to show him and his accomplices the correct ways, holders of public office and public funds, are supposed to follow.

 [Lenin Tinashe Chisaira is an activist and lawyer based in Harare, Zimbabwe. He tweets at @LeninChisaira and is interested in Economic Justice, Human Rights, Leftist Politics and Environmental Justice. He blogs at cdetinashe.blogspot.com ]