I read with some kind of disgust the other day a story about ZESA managers who were fuming because Energy Minister Elton Mangoma had ordered the slashing of their salaries. They actually told the minister it was not his business to question their salaries. I wondered rather blithely if they would have responded with such brashness if this had come from a Zanu PF minister! But then it has become the typical story here where parastatals and state enterprises senior officials have continued to command ridiculous salaries when there is virtually nothing to justify it.

We all know about the mismanagement of these big concerns over the years with accusations that officials were riding on the back of Zanu PF patronage, and where in fact keeping up with the party’s streak of looting state resources. It is here where consciences have been numbed as the plundering of resources has rendered these state utility providers a huge burden on tax and rate payers with no service provision to speak of. So a minister who comes through with a broom to sweep the rot naturally becomes the bad guy because the logic is simple: no one ever complained before, and simply because – as some have claimed – these officials have been political appointees.

We read each time how South African government ministers are ever vigilant cracking the whip on unnecessary perks for officials who appear to think working for government is a sure way to bleed the purse. What then is amiss with Mangoma putting caps on salaries, or at least demanding that they get performance-based salary increments? Makes sense to me. We heard even from Ignatius Chombo the other week when he demanded a salary cap for Town Clerks where in some cases these municipality CEOs are reported to be earning monthly salaries of up to USD15,000.

Surely these salaries must be justified, and for a long time these people have been getting absurd perks that are not even based on performance, which reminds one of those US CEOs who run loss-making corporations but at the end of the year award themselves multi-million dollar bonuses, of course much to the chagrin of shareholders. Indeed Zimbabwe is in dire need of ministers who will put a stop to this nonsense.

To be honest I’m not sure why Zanu PF spies would want to expose scandalous stories of MDC politicians sexploits. In general Zimbabweans aren’t fazed by them. In fact it seems like the more small houses, Pajeros, shiny suits, shoes and foreign trips a politician goes on, the more Man they are.

The Graduation Ceremony of students who got scholarships in the US under the US Student Achievers Program (USAP) was held yesterday. This event was a true personification of Ambassadors Ray’s latest book title, ‘Where you come from matters less than where you’re going”. It is true in the sense that students are academically talented with most of them being head boys and head girls in their former schools, but face financial challenges in furthering their education.  Some have lost both parents, others are heads of their own households and three of them are physically disabled. Despite such backgrounds USAP has afforded them the opportunity to study at top US colleges and universities including Harvard. This resembles the title of the Ambassador’s book; in that one day you may be somewhere great and tell a different story altogether.

The event was graced by the Prime Minister, Morgan Tsvangirai and Ambassador Charles Ray. The PM encouraged the students to exhibit the Zimbabwean characteristics of ‘hospitality and hard work’ and to return home. In that same vein the Ambassador urged the students to return to Zimbabwe with these words, “And do return. Zimbabwe needs you and your talent, your open minds and your news ideas, to realise its potential”.

Here’s an excellent editorial from Wilf Mbanga at The Zimbabwean. Do you really think its worth voting for the MDC in the next election? I don’t.

Playground for torturers

We heard with shocked disbelief how MPs from the two formations of the MDC were brow-beaten into supporting the borrowing of money from the Chinese to pay for a Zanu (PF) project.

Like Heroes Acre, the Mazowe Spy Centre, is not a national institution. It is a Zanu (PF) project. No-one from the two MDCs, or any of their supporters, will benefit from it in any way.

Students at the centre will be taught to spy on and torture MDC supporters.

We believe that the ratification of the Chinese loan to pay for a Zanu (PF) training camp, while mortgaging our national resources from Chiadzwa for many years to come, was a terrible blunder by the Members of Parliament in whom the people of Zimbabwe had reposed their confidence.

The excuse given by the MDC that they “had to vote in support of the loan because we are now in government” is simply absurd. The nation expects our MPs to think for themselves and not behave like sheep.

Our MPs should have revolted on this issue. Zimbabwe does not need such an expensive spy centre at a time when there are other pressing priorities. The revenue from Chiadzwa should be used to develop our country and pay the civil servants who are grossly underpaid.

Zimbabwe cannot even service its existing debt – which is a millstone around the necks of future generations. And now they sign up for even more debt, to build a luxurious playground for the torturers of MDC supporters!

We are disappointed that the MPs of both MDCs have failed to rise to the occasion, not only in this case, but also in using their numerical superiority over the past two years to push progressive legislation through Parliament.

It is ridiculous that the legislature should continue to be sent into recess or recalled at the whim of the minority party – Zanu (PF). Our MPs have even allowed Zanu (PF) to set the agenda.

The same goes for the constitution-writing process. It appears Zanu (PF) has the upper hand. What we have seen and heard from COPAC does not inspire confidence or give us any reason for optimism.

In an email chillingly entitled It Has Started, a Zimbabwean living in rural Chipinge shared with Kubatana this news:

It has started all over again in the rural areas of Chipinge. You can see some youth running and singing chimurenga songs and you can easily tell that the war is about to begin all over again. We want journalists here in Chipinge. People are being killed without any recognition. We have never had our President Tsvangirai coming to adress people, yet Chipinge is one of the few places with more than 80% real change suporters. Can you be our mouth to our honourable PM.

We forwarded this email to the MDC.

I thought I heard Walter Mupfanuchiya [sic] say, “for more news you can visit us on our website, mdc.co.zw.” I swear. The mind can sometimes let slip what lies hidden in the dark corners which we make strenuous albeit subconscious attempts to cloak. Something called the Freudian slip perhaps?

But anyways, when I saw him again cyborg-like reading the 8 o’clock bulletin the following day, I figured either my ears were playing tricks on me or Shamu and other mandarins had not been alert enough to catch this clincher. Or it could also mean they missed it because heck, they do not watch their own drivel!

Elsewhere, I had a chat with a female Botswana journalist who was puzzled why political parties that carry names such as African Christian Democratic Party, Christian Democrats, and other some such names with “Christian” in them and come blazing the trail as pro-lifers, preach the “political gospel” of the goodwill of Man, political salvation from political Devils, et cetera et cetera, do not produce any landslide win?

Her logic was simple. These are principles, virtues, ideals every human being firmly believes in, so why are these parties not popular as one would expect? Hmmmm. I extended the thread, but of course with no pretense to psychological interrogation, just common sense:

Why do bad men insist they are good?

Why does Zanu PF use violence on opponents when it already claims mass popularity?

Why do Tsvangirai supporters make good Zanu PF students by violently expressing their opposition to fellow “freedom fighters?”

Why does the MDC allow itself to disintegrate before it even tastes power as the only party forming government by pitting founding members against each other in congresses that are ostensibly held to showcase Tsvangirai’s democracy credentials?

Why do these African political parties that have invested years fighting the good fight for good governance allow egos into the democracy equation?

A guy parades his “popularity” among his party supporters when he is in essence contesting against someone he claims they are in it together punching from the same corner and still expects this “democratic model” to hold the centre together.

No wonder the “humiliated losers” have many a time decided to form their own political outfits and thus  begins the fall and fall into political obscurity. No wonder many believe rather ruefully that Zanu PF is here to stay. And no wonder political parties like those imagined by the Botswana journalist are always the type that emerge from the woodwork only when there is a poll looming.

A mind sure is a terrible thing to waste.