In any event, it is now public knowledge that the Ministry of Media, Information and Publicity issued what can only be considered a ‘threat’ to all editors who publish ‘leaked’ information about cabinet proceedings. Even though I am not an editor, and I have no ‘cabinet sources’ I am personally persuaded that that there must have been some cabinet decision to purchase luxury vehicles for ministers. Whether it was by consensus, vote or decree, we might never know.
We can at least verify the purchase of these ‘beasts of the road’ by seeing our erstwhile ministers riding around in them. Their true cost to the government and the nature of awarding the tender to supply them is probably something protected from publication under the Official Secrets Act, though the fact that they are being driven is not so ‘secret’.
Source of funds
Neither is the fact that there has been no official explanation as to why the vehicles were purchased in the first place. The Minister of Finance, Tendai Biti was reported to have told a journalist from the Daily News that he should ask the Minister of Transport and Communications, Nicholas Goche about the cars.
Then he was reported to have said that in fact, money to purchase government cars was within the 2010 budget allocation. This money comes to a total of US$1,5 million, but was not utilized in the same period. He did not, however, explain the cost and source of funds for the vehicles that our ministers are now utilizing, assumedly for government business.
Now because I do not have ‘sources’ in Cabinet, I do not know why the procurement
component of government opted to not re-allocate the money to other essential services of our national economy, particularly health and education. In fact, the money might could have been simply added to this year’s allocation for the Basic Education Assistance Model (BEAM).
I also assume that perhaps the lack of an official statement from Cabinet on this issue might be indicative of government’s assumption that any expressions of concern over this unnecessary expenditure will probably fizzle out from public debate or mainstream media.
Undermining the GNU
Zimbabwe is a poor country, with poor people. A country saddled with a government that treats its ministers like multi-national company corporate executives and its people like muted audiences in the theatre of opulence.
And should you take the individual ministers to task on this matter you might be accused of undermining the inclusive government. God forbid that you are not charged with treason by Cabinet itself for daring to ask for a comparison between their luxurious vehicles and their performance in government.
But then again, I wonder if anyone is watching their performance? Civil society remains muted, with only one organization, the Committee of the Peoples Charter, asking questions of these distasteful spending sprees by the inclusive government.
Even though the government thinks this will go away, or at least not be a public issue for prolonged period of time, at least it has been said. And when the Ministers drive, or are driven, in their vehicles, they should at least know that the people are watching. – Takura Zhangazha, a political analyst.
Post published in: News