By Setfree Mafukidze | Dr Joice Mujuru has in her personal capacity been accused of blocking the licencing of Zimbabwe’s biggest mobile phone network Econet Wireless back in the late 90s. I have on many occasions tried to tell people that the blocking of Econet Wireless was a Cabinet decision which President Robert Mugabe also had a hand in.
The Zanu-PF government has never been one that wants free airwaves, there was a time when we had the choice of watching more than 4 television stations but all these were owned by people with Zanu-PF links such as Joy TV owned by veteran broadcaster and businessman James Makamba and a couple of others which were later unceremoniously switched of air because Zanu-PF could not stand media that it had no control over.
The current licenses issued to Radio stations will show you how insecure Zanu-PF is when dealing with private media, consequently, they have made sure that state owned Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation opens more radio stations which they control in terms of content etc.The other radio licences went to Zimpapers which again is controlled by the Zanu-PF government, meaning it’s content is controlled too, the remainder of radio licences went to Zanu-PF proxies such as ICT Minister Supa Mandiwanzira who is the owner of AB Communications which in turn owns ZiFM Stereo and the other licence was granted to YA FM which is owned by Munyaradzi Hwengwere a former Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation Chief Executive Officer who is also believe to have close ties in Zanu-PF. One other licence went to Qhubani Moyo who is a Zanu-PF apologist again but has failed to make use of his own licence.
Let’s look at telecoms too, the only other operator to get a licence to operate a fixed land line service was Former Zanu-PF Masvingo Chairman Daniel Shumba through his company Teleaccess, the company never took off though. Telecel was owned by Empowerment Corporation which I believe still owns part of that company, Telecel was started by black empowerment activists with close Zanu-PF links, these includes James Makamba, Phillip Chiyangwa, Jane Mutasa and Leo Mugabe who happens to be Zanu-PF leader Mugabe’s nephew, Mugabe’s backers former backers Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans also owned a stake in Telecel at some point. Now Telecel is 60 percent government owned through a company called Zarnett. The other mobile phone operator is Netone which is a government owned business as well.
Econet is the most independent mobile phone company in Zimbabwe at the moment, then enter their request to operate a Television deal through their new Kwese TV which is already operating in other African countries. The Zimbabwe Government stalls the deal by delaying approval to operate. According to Econet Boss Strive Masiyiwa Kwese TV will create thousands of jobs that will benefit Zimbabweans but the Zanu-PF government whose campaign promises in 2013 included Empowering Zimbabweans, Creating Employment, Indigenisation etc is found blocking almost the whole package of their campaign promise by blocking Kwese TV.
What is surprising is that the same Zanu-PF government a few weeks ago deployed a team of what they called experts to visit Nigerian business tycoon Aliko Dangote to pursue him on potential investment deals which are now about 2 years in waiting.They block their very own people and work towards luring foreign people to invest in Zimbabwe. This is a sad scenario which we find ourselves in. It shows us how any business person with potential in Zimbabwe can not go forward in their own country as long as they don’t hold that one qualification, the qualification of Loyalty to Zanu-PF.
“Dogs of War” was abook that I saw my brother reading in 1978 . . .. when the auxilliaries visited our homestead. They asked accusing him of calling them dogs of war
They were all dogs after all!
History also records that, she is no longer a member of zanupf, just like all of us. At some point a zimbabwean was a member of zanupf, that is all opposition leaders and most supporters included. So, can we get on the business of trying to win the elections in 2018 please.
I think instead of trying to deny the obvious these people should just tell us what we already know.
That in Zanu Pf the dictator pull the shot. We all know that. From there just simply apologise. People will understand you.
Outright refusal of being part of it is an assault to our inteligence.
We all know that there is corruption in Zanu PF and that it is a party of thugs. If the upshot of this article is to present Joice Mujuru as the only innocent party member surrounded by hyenas then you are not fooling anyone. Mujuru played her part and got she pound of flesh in all the corruption and thuggery involving the blocking not just Strive Masiyiwa’s business venture but many others who never made it!
ZimPF apologists are just Zanu PF apologist by another name just as ZimPF itself is Zanu PF by another name!
You are very correct in your recollection of history
Mujuru was the information minister and General Mujuru had a stake in Telecel. She also made that horrible comment on ZTv about Nkomo being old and senile when he (Nkomo) was fighting for Masiiwa.