It’s that time of the year when the Auditor-General reveals what government departments have been up to in the preceding year.
It does not make for pretty reading and confirms what Muck has known all along, that government accounts remain as messed as ever, despite this being the Second Republic, you know, the one that is promising us that will all have a utopia by 2030, but more on that later.
Here is what her appropriation accounts finance and revenue statement presented before Parliament this week reads: Seven ministries failed to respond to audit findings, while 27 ministries and commissions had arrear payments totaling ZWL$2.9 trillion and US$557 million, and more in other foreign currencies.
The Treasury, which is headed by a very learned professor and the son of our owner, made direct payments to suppliers worth US$277 million after by-passing the Public Financial Management System (PFMS), ignoring the government’s own regulations that the administration put in place.
Muck will just quote the report: "In 2023, Treasury paid directly to suppliers a total amount of ZWL$34 billion (US$277 million) on behalf of Ministries. However, the payments were not processed through the Public Financial Management System to ensure accountability and accuracy of the financial statements. Section 13 (1) of the Public Finance Management (Treasury Instructions), 2019 requires all payments to be processed through the PFMS.
"The Ministries requested the Treasury to regularize the direct payments in the PFMS. However, the anomaly had not been addressed at the time of payments, in concluding the audit in June 2024."
"The total expenditure disclosed in the PFMS and Appropriation Accounts was therefore understated. Treasury should ensure that direct payments are processed through the PFMS so that MDAs account and report for the payments."
Some ministries did not bother to submit some records.
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"Twenty seven Ministries and Commissions 23 in this report and four (whose audits are in progress) had arrear payments of ZWL$2,9 trillion, US$557 million, 733 058 pounds, Euro 80 695 and Swiss Francs 118 717, on the other hand, six ministries, did not submit their arrear payments returns for audit."
"There was no evidence that the Ministries periodically reported to Treasury their outstanding payments to enable funding arrangements to be made."
"The arrear payments as of December 31, 2023 were more than 50% of the 2023 National budget of ZWL$4,4 trillion. The accumulation of arrears, if left unattended, erodes the budget of the subsequent year and negatively impacts government service delivery and of reputation.
"Expenditure amounting to ZWL$967 billion and US$10 million was incurred by 13 ministries, commissions, and funds without adequate supporting documents. "
"The expenditure was in respect of investments made, procurement of motor vehicles, conference costs, goods and services, and transfers to other institutions."
"Inadequate supporting documents for expenditure undermined the reliability of the financial records as confirmation of the amounts paid, ownership and quantity of goods received could not be verified with certainty."
It’s the same story, year after year, that this government has degrees in the mismanagement of tax dollars.
In fact, the script hardly changes: payments made with no paper trail, goods paid for but never received. Additionally, government officials do not bother to listen to what the Auditor-General is saying about being accountable for the tax dollars or how to fix the accounting problems.
What does this mean? It means that those tasked with handling our money cannot be bothered to do something as simple as keeping records, putting the hard-earned dollars at high risk of fraud.
As usual, nothing happens to those who keep fudging public accounts to cover their tracks about the misused public funds.
Now, back to Utopia 2030
Our owner last week made it clear that he was not going to overstay his unwelcome by illegally extending his lease agreement past 2028.
Muck quotes: “Our (Zany) constitution clearly stipulates that every five years we go to congress. We did our congress about five years ago. Every five years we go to congress and when we do that we elect a president. Our president is supposed to be in office for two five-year terms. I did my five-year term and we went to a congress and you elected me again. Now I’m doing my last five years and its towards the end of the term. I will go and rest. We will go to congress to look for someone else who will lead the party the way I’m doing. Do you hear that? My retirement days are near.
"I want to rest. We will go to congress to elect a person who will fit in my spirit of Munhumutapa.
"You hear that? I’m giving you a hint.”
Right, so Muck is to assume that the man who has perfected a patronage system that has seen mostly his family members and cronies such as ‘Sir’, Scott among others pillage the country’s resources without any consequences is ready to sail into the sunset?
After presiding over high-level corruption, rights abuses, poll theft, and economic mismanagement, does he feel safe enough to retire to his famed farm and grow maize?
This is the man who has previously said he would still be ‘there’ in 2030, the year he promised us Utopia. His so-called pronouncement did nothing to dampen the talk of extending his lease as our owner among his supporters, who have taken to hauling insults to his number two, the generari, the man who has not hidden his designs on taking over the country as its top citizen.
Besides, if the current owner leaves before he delivers us across the Jordan River of suffering, he has created, how will he be able to gloat?
His spirit of Munhumutapa? His scion perhaps? Interesting times lie ahead, especially after reports that the generari is now in league with the money people in the country, those who are keen to safeguard their ill-gotten wealth and want to ensure that they never have to leave the feeding trough.
Another week another break-in at a Mnangagwa office or residence. On Monday night this week, there was a break-in at Tourism and Hospitality Industry deputy minister Tongai Mafidi Mnangagwa’s office in Harare.
Two weeks ago, unknown suspects twice broke into the residence of Finance, Economic Development and Investment Promotion deputy minister who is one of Mnangagwa’s sons, Kudakwashe, and left behind bullets.
A fire then broke out at the house in yet unclear circumstances. It was put out but restarted the following day.
Muck maintains that something is going on here. How is it possible for ‘ghost intruders’ to target the family of the owner and get away with it?
The police response bowled Muck over: “Investigations into such cases are complex,” said the insufferable guy who speaks on behalf of the police, Paul Nyathi.
Muck maintains one of his two theories are on point: Either the hyena is smelling goats among its children, or the ‘ghost invaders’ are after a bigger prize.
Zimbabwe’s political chess is like a game of thrones; you play to win or you are a goner
