(ZIMBABWE GUARDIAN) MDC-T corruption probe: a damp squib

MDC-T corruption probe: a damp squib
By: EDITORIAL COMMENT
Posted: Tuesday, March 23, 2010 1:01 am

THE Movement for Democratic Change party led by Mr Morgan Tsvangirai claims it has updated its 'Code of Conduct' for all government ministers and senior party members in its effort to check corruption. All ministers must annually disclose to the party or to the Prime Minister (Tsvangirai) their “assets and liabilities” and “business interests” of their own and of their families by a prescribed date.

In the prevailing context of widespread institutionalized corruption, to place hope on voluntary disclosure as a check against corruption is laughable.

Online radio stations interviewed the MDC-T's spokesman, Mr Nelson Chamisa, about the new code. The views he expressed were mostly inane platitudes that showed ignorance of the problem of corruption or how to deal with it.

This is how big corruption works. It arises from unchecked patronage by government officials. In deals involving purchase, license or sanction with commercial firms or with other government departments the officials take a cut.

The politicians and the bureaucrats involved in the deal share the cut. That ensures silence all around.

Mr Tsvangirai, Mr Chamisa and some of their counterparts in Zanu-PF are all part of the system.

The system will not be broken by a declaration of assets; or by some grandstanding in the media. A party probe will not do anything to resolve the problem of corruption.

Party is not government; and it is not easy for party members to investigate and censure and sanction their own members.

Infact many of these shady deals do not even lead to very tangible assets, as they are done backdoor. They can also be shielded via various other related individuals that the system is not aware of.

Mr Chamisa is only grandstanding and misleading to the masses when he says that the MDC-T will succeed in investigating itself.

What will be the sanction? And can he assure us that even he will declare all his assets and put himself for scrutiny? Who will investigate corruption in the MDC-T, and will that person or group of persons censure other powerful individuals like Secretary General Tendai Biti?

Given the way, Mr Chamisa and Mr Biti have covered up in the past, the illegal extension of their leader's tenure, we cannot trust that things will be any different.

In broad daylight, they flout their own Constitution, yet call themselves "A Party Of Excellence". The MDC-T has shown a tendency to cover their dirt in the background, and grandstand in public.

When they protected Sekai Holland's caustic remarks, they lost the support of the Matabeleland region and attracted the ire of the swing supporter.

When Tsvangirai summarily dismissed Lucia Matibenga from the MDC-T women's league and replaced her with Theresa Makone, we heard nothing about the replacement; only to learn that Makone was a financier of that party. Makone would eventually be handsomely rewarded with a ministerial position in the inclusive Government.

Other characters in the MDC-T who have been tasked with the investigations display middle class morality. That is, though they may or may not partake of financial gain themselves, they willingly cover up the truth to protect their masters in order to promote their careers.

It is inconceivable to think that MDC-T's deputy secretary-general, Mr Tapiwa Mashakada, who is leading investigations in various councils will censure someone like Mr Tsvangirai, Mr Biti or Mr Chamisa. Otherwise, he loses his job.

Mr Chamisa and his MDC-T party should lobby for the setting up of an independent body; outside of the party, some sort of Central Bureau of Investigation -- a government organisation -- or use the current parliamentary bodies to do that.

That body should investigate corruption in the inclusive Government, not just in the MDC-T. The councils currently being investigated are creatures of the inclusive Government; although they are predominantly run by MDC-T elected officials.

or party control and be allowed to function autonomously. Obviously, the CBI cannWhat our 'wise Prime Minister' and 'wise publicity luminaries' mulling over the problem fail to recognize is that unless the present system of governance is amended no effective results will occur.

The proposed CBI must be liberated from Cabinet ot become a law unto itself and function unfettered by overview.

In the meantime, the MDC-T should stop fooling itself. They have no power to dismiss anyone in Government. There are clear guidelines over such dismissal.

In any case, the sanctions they lobbied for vigorously, fuel the corruption that they are trying to root out. It seems the MDC-T is putting the cart before the horse here. Their corruption probe is therefore, simply a damp squib.