Maravi

(TALKZIMBABWE) Tomana, Gono: an outdated argument

Tomana, Gono: an outdated argument
Ian Munangatire - Opinion
Thu, 30 Jul 2009 05:46:00 +0000

I SOMETIMES find it extremely difficult to understand what leaders of this country think of people they lead and their future. My frustrations arise when leaders waste time bickering about issues that do not help improve the welfare of the people.

Rather than concentrate on issues that are important to people who put them into power, they spend time bickering about what position and what roles they have in the inclusive Government.

Take for instance the argument about Attorney General Johannes Tomana and Reserve Bank Governor Gideon Gono. Ministers from the MDC-T party, especially finance minister Tendai Biti and ICT minister Nelson Chamisa, have made the ouster of these two officials part of their pre-occupation and job description.

At every media opportunity, they talk of these "oustanding issues". How about Biti's outstanding issue with the payments and working conditions of civil servants? How about Chamisa's outstanding issue with the provision of a fast broadband service to Zimbabwe and the full computerisation of the civil service? Are these not important outstanding issues they should be dealing with.

In any case, why are these people taking over the role of the Joint Monitoring and Implementation Committee, which overseas the implementation of the so-called Global Political Agreement. They have the mandate to resolve these "outstanding issues".

One wonders whether they are still concerned about developing the nation or just merely trying to prove a pointless point.

What comes to my mind then is: are these leaders aware of the dilemma we face as a country in terms of development. If they do why then do they concentrate on positions, rather than the work they are mandated to do? Minister Biti, rather than meeting foreign press in "safe houses" should be meeting civil servants to negotiate their salaries and conditions.

Similarly Chamisa should be meeting computer hardware and software manufacturers to see how he can improve the country's ICT sector.

These ministers should direct their energy to devising suitable support systems providing for and grooming the highly industrious people we need and aspire to have as a country; not concentrate on positions and their incumbents.

It’s high time for our new leaders to walk the talk and stop fooling around with chit-chat of history this and history that! We live in the present and the present affects us!

Labels: GIDEON GONO, JOHANNES TOMANA

posted by MrK @ 2:59 PM