Meanwhile civil servants are demanding better salaries, teachers will strike next week and Air Zimbabwe is grounded, with its workers also on strike over the issue of salaries. Not forgetting the urgent parliamentary bills and amendments that are not being dealt with.
Government is apparently at a standstill and no important business can be attended to, at a time when many critical issues need to be resolved to help the masses who are struggling to survive.
According to the Independent newspaper, Mugabe’s spokesperson George Charamba on Thursday confirmed that most ministers were away and said this was “normal”. He added that ministers were “taking advantage of Mugabe’s absence to rest.”
Zimbabwean law says executive authority of the government is to be shared by the president, the prime minister and the cabinet, “as provided for in this constitution and legislation”. But of course this is not what happens and Tsvangirai has never been allowed to chair Cabinet.
So Cabinet does not meet when Mugabe is away and no executive decisions can be made.
Dr. Lovemore Madhuku, chairperson of the National Constitution Assembly, blasted the country’s politicians for taking time off at such a critical time saying they only care about themselves.
“We are used to the very inefficient way in which government operates in this country. Many politicians do not care whether they perform well or not at all,” Madhuku explained.
He said there is no incentive to perform because we have no system in place for government accountability. According to Madhuku, the prime minister should take advantage of the president’s absence to rise to the occasion and show leadership qualities.
“The current crop of politicians do not care about development,” the activist added.
Post published in: News