When President Robert Mugabe allocated the ministries between his party and the MDC upon formation of the Government of National Unity (GNU), he had only one thing on his mind....
He wanted Zanu (PF) to maintain its grip on power so that it could continue to abuse its position for self gain. He gave the MDC those portfolios that were as good as dead and tasked them with clearing up the mess made by his incompetent ministers. He expected the MDC to fail to deliver so that people would blame them. In part II of this series, FRAZER MUZONDO analyses progress in three more ministries.
Ministry of Information and Communication Technology
The minister responsible is Nelson Chamisa, MDC. Well done Mr Chamisa for standing your ground when Robert Mugabe, Webster Shamu and Nicholas Goche unsuccessfully tried to wrestle away the communications functions away from your ministry.
The public all know why Zanu (PF) thought it had made a terrible blunder to give your ministry the telecommunications functions. Thank you for protecting the public from this murderous regime, they dont want the public to access independent information through the internet and phone technology.
They really wanted to use their powers and the CIO to tap phones and track their enemies. They want to control what we read, what we hear and what we see, who we talk with and what we talk about because they know the people no longer want them.
Thank you minister for bringing sanity to the telecommunications sector. Your continued intervention in the way our phone providers were doing their business has brought some normality and protection for phone users.
Providers Econet, Telecel, Net-one and Tel-one were charging us exorbitant charges. Although charges are still high, at least they are better than before your intervention. The public would welcome the licensing of more players in the telecommunications sector. This would enhance competition, improve quality of service and subsequently cheaper tariffs.
Ministry of Mines
The minister responsible is Obert Mpofu, Zanu (PF). Zimbabwe is a country with an abundance of mineral resources, having the potential to earn billions of dollars for national development. But these resources are poorly managed and the money realised does not benefit the majority of Zimbabweans. Instead it finds itself in the coffers of those who are well connected within Zanu (PF).
It is the Zanu (PF) elite who find themselves with the licenses to exploit the mines and enjoy the proceeds. Mining rights have been given to the Chinese in exchange for US$ to fill the coffers of Mugabe R.G and Zanu (PF), not for the benefit of the country, whose economy is in intensive care.
There are a lot of mining companies with the capacity to do better in our mining sector and create employment, but they cannot be given licences to do so because they are not indigenous or well connected to Zanu (PF).
In the name of indigenisation and empowerment, most licenses are given to undeserving and incapable Zanu (PF) stalwarts, without the capacity to invest or create employment and revenue. This must stop.
After the discovery of diamonds at Chiadzwa, the government allowed chaos to go on for some time at the fields. Why? Because they knew exactly who was benefiting from this illegal mining. After they had lined their personal pockets, they stopped the diamond rush for everyone and put in new illegal miners. Soldiers and the police were given the green light to kill innocent people as it was their chance to loot the diamonds at Chiadzwa.
Mpofu did nothing but watch his fellow comrades in crime continue to loot and kill, while dipping his own fingers deep into the diamonds. It was not until July 2009 when the minister, after mounting pressure from the international community, accepted the removal of the security forces from the Marange diamond fields. Soldiers are not miners, so what were they doing at the mining fields?
They were mandated to kill and they did kill a lot of people and bury them in mass graves. They also managed to line their own pockets while protecting their chefs` loot. And now they are back again. This ministry is a disaster area.
Ministry of Tourism
The ministry of Tourism is headed by Walter Mzembi, Zanu (PF). The objective of the ministry is to promote the image of the country whose reputation had been battered by the bloody elections of June 2008. Zimbabwe had been labelled an unsafe tourist destination.
This ministry exemplifies government departments which are inappropriately burdened with self-serving bureaucrats. For a start, the minister is an engineer by trade and has no transferable skills whatsoever to bring into tourism.
The Ministry of Tourism must be led by reputable national ambassadors. While minister Mzembi is a definite celeb in Mbare and Mabvuku, he is definitely a non-entity on the international scene and his connection with Zanu (PF) will definitely scare away visitors, as Zanu (PF) is associated with lies, violence and corruption. Tourism and politics are not compatible. Tourism is a sector that should bind the nation together while embodying national pride, peace, friendliness and national beauty. Political figureheads who have dabbled in violence will never impress tourists. This is why Chiyangwa and company failed to present Zimbabwe as a suitable second home to World Cup teams.
Zimbabwe is a naturally beautiful country. The appointment of raw politicians to lead the tourism sector is as costly a distraction as it is an impediment.
Post published in: News