…..Cabinet reshuffle needed urgently
By Golden Maunganidze
I am sure that it’s no longer a secret that we have serious divisions threatening to split any political party that you may think of in Zimbabwe.
While it might not be the preferred or normal situation, factions have become a dominant feature among those who want to possess power.
The Movement for Democratic Change (MDC-T) which has been soliciting for a mandate to govern this country since 1999 is going for a congress at the end of this week but factionalism within the country’s biggest opposition party is there for everyone to see. Although I am not a prophet nor a prophet’s son, allow me to predict that those who are going to assume power will do so along factional lines. It is a matter of belonging to a certain group which matters at the expense of competence. It is because of this reason that the MDC-T has continued to see splits and divisions among itself thereby have opposition against another opposition party. That has acted as a blessing in disguise to Zanu PF which used to know when to play factional politics . MDC-T continued to shrink thereby frustrating millions of people whose hope was in opposition politics for the economic turnaround in Zimbabwe.
On the other hand, Zanu PF – which seemed to be the only political party with a vision is on fire leaving those who believed in the revolutionary party in a state of confusion. Those who trust elected leaders for economic development are certainly failing to interpret ongoing events in Zanu PF.
Although senior party members in Zanu PF keep denying the existence of factions within the ruling party, the First Lady’s recent entry into politics has revealed it all – Zanu PF is deeply divided. Knowing that there are warring factions in Zanu PF might not be much of a story especially to some of us who have been attending some of the party’s events, however, when Dr Grace Mugabe started her meet the people tour rallies across the country, Zimbabweans were exposed to a real factional drama unfolding within the revolutionary party. It was devastating for an ordinary Zimbabwean to realise that senior government ministers including the Vice President are accused of corruption. To an ordinary Zimabwean, the First lady is a voice of authority who has exclusive information about what happens in both government and the party hence we are bound to take her speeches seriously. Now, it was stunning to know that senior government officials who are supposed to have caucus meetings discussing strategies to turnaround the economy cannot even shake hands. How then can we expect the government to deliver when ministers are not in talking terms due to factionalism.
As I see it ladies and gentlemen, for the sake of the Zimbabweans who believed in you in 2013, its rather moral for you comrades to respect the electorate. Where is the anti-corruption commission in all this drama to clear the air on who is corrupt or not. If we do not have further explanations from some senior officials, we should be forgiven for thinking that all ministers were appointed along factional lines. We should be forgiven for thinking that several ministers and top government officials are corrupt and we thus have to be forgiven for calling for immediate cabinet reshuffle.
As I see it, for the sake of ordinary Zimbabweans, it’s high time we have new ministers who are goal oriented. I believe there are a lot of Zanu PF officials out there who can execute their duties perfectly — why can’t you just reshuffle and bring in new blood because those who are there cannot talk to each other.
As I see it ladies and gentlemen, we have been undermining the effects of factions in the ruling party – in fact ending factionalism in Zanu PF is now every person’s concern. Government business is under threat due to these factions as ministers and senior civil servants are deeply involved in factional fights rather than doing their day to day business.
I am not going to judge whatever the First Lady said because I am not better positioned to do that but I want to highlight that her rallies exposed that Zanu PF is more concentrated in factional fights than doing the real government business. As we speak, it seems you have to be in a certain faction for you to be in minister or to occupy any powerful positions in government. The danger of appointing along factional lines is that at the end of the day incompetent people are promoted to lead critical sectors of government. This has affected our progress and development as a country. It is now clear that competent people belonging to unpopular factions will never get a chance to lead us. Thus far we have ruined this country as we pursue selfish political ambitions at the expense of docile Zimbabweans who have suffered silently.
Let me end here for now lest I be accused of yep yep or speaking too much or yep yepping if you like!!!!
Golden Maunganidze is a journalist and a media trainer. He writes in his own capacity. You can send feedback or comments to go*****************@gm***.Local
