Chinese Government provides RMB 31.5 million grant to Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation for the provision of a broadcasting van

On 5 April, 2012, the Chinese Government signed an RMB 31.5 million grant agreement with the Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation (ZBC) for the provision of a broadcasting van.

China National Instruments Imports and Exports Corporation (Instrimpex), a subsidiary of Chinese state-owned company, China General Technology (Group) Holding, Limited, was the contractor responsible for implementation. The ZBC received the van on 19 February, 2013, and an acceptance agreement was signed on 22 February, 2013.

The stated purpose of the van and equipment was to enable ZBC to shift from analog to digital broadcasting as mandated by the International Telecommunications Union whose compliance deadline is 15 June, 2015. However, this project was plagued by controversy and accusations of corruption.

Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation (ZBC) CEO, Happison Muchechetere, was arrested and accused of inflating the cost of the van to $1,050,000 — in collusion with Instrimpex officials — when its true cost was somewhere between $100,00 and $200,000.

It is alleged that Muchechetere and/or his Instrimpex officials stole the remaining funds (representing the difference between the invoice amount and the actual cost). The acceptance agreement signed on 22 February, 2013 was one of four agreements signed on that day. The other three agreements include: Record ID#30650: A $2 million grant for agricultural equipment.

Record ID#30648: A RMB 60 million interest-free loan for rural road upgrades and acquisition of equipment for rural district councils. Record ID#30649: A pledge for a food aid donation.