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FOR once in a very long time there appears to be a convergence of opinion to fight corruption in Zimbabwe. Better still is the fact that this convergence goes beyond journalists and embraces politicians across the political divide.
We should not let our focus on this scourge be diverted by those who want to view this as purely factional politics playing out in the ruling party on the one hand, and those who see it as a gimmick on the other, especially in opposition politics.
Everybody, except for those directly affected, would want to see action being taken. Of course this must be done within the law. We cannot rule a country through mob justice and mob psychology where those suspected of wrongdoing are lynched by a mob. Due process must be followed.
This we advise because the people involved in these criminal acts did not land here from Mars. They are products of our culture, our political system, our education and, above all, our general measure of success through material acquisitiveness.
Former Midlands governor Cephas Msipa gave us some insights into the cancerous spread of corruption in the country. He said cronyism and greed were the drivers. He used to sit on a number of boards in his time and points out that: “We took it as an honour and responsibility to serve our country in that capacity.”
He said he was selected to serve on some boards such as Agricultural Marketing Board, Triangle Sugar Estates, Bikita Minerals and Cairns Foods in part because of his understanding of government policy, which was crucial in decision-making. He knew he was expected to contribute something and the company was expected to deliver certain results.
Here is how Msipa views the problem today: “People are being appointed not so much on what they can contribute but in most cases because they are friends of those who appoint them.
“Secondly, not much is taken into account of their political orientation or record of performance, and thirdly, our people have adopted a culture of ‘get rich quickly by any means’ with less need to be of service to one’s country.”
Amen, governor!
We cannot downplay these words and hope to root out corruption. It is something our society has nurtured and bred over the years regardless of whether one is in the ruling party or in opposition, in the public or the private sector. It is reflective of the moral decadence in our society manifesting in wanton acts of violence, lack of respect or compassion for our fellow men, rape of women and children in the name of God and launching of churches as money-making ventures.
We have become a sacrilegious nation. We need to rediscover ourselves and commit to the sacredness of the God-given piece of land we call Zimbabwe and its resources which we hold in trust for future generations. The plunder by a few greedy individuals of resources meant to serve a majority should be treated as criminal acts of sabotage.
The government needs to act, and act fast. We need to draw a line in the sand to say no more.
The dragnet must spread to the private sector where some companies sabotage the economy because they are opposed to certain government policies, not for economic but for political reasons. They daily shut down companies and tell their workers to go and eat “your black empowerment and indigenisation”.
Daily, companies are shut down by the same companies which survived 15 years of UDI sanctions and a protracted guerilla war against white minority occupation and exploitation. Time is up for all economic saboteurs.
Online Reporter