adminA HIDEOUS scam by any frank description. That is how it stinks from whichever direction you (yes, you) turn your beleaguered nose – the diversion to their self-enrichment of constituency development funds by a large number of legislators. They who, by virtue of their positions ought to know by rot the definition of law, its obvious and intricate ramification. The mind boggles.
The Ministry of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs has disclosed that MPs from 20 constituencies hijacked $50 000 given to each constituency in the last session of parliament for developmental purposes, and used the money to buy motor vehicles, motor cycles, grinding mills, office furniture and – who knows – probably different other assets that have no yet come to the scrutiny of authorities. But surely, surely the actions of the MPs in point qualify as theft by conversion, attracting custodial ratification as fitting sanctions for everyone of the offenders?
Yet the ministry appears casually to view the hijacking of the CDF merely as an abuse and says the ill-gotten assets will be confiscated by the government, but says nothing more, which suggests that no weight will be applied to hang the heads of the offenders for all to see the gravity of breaking the law even though the statute does not spell out exactly how abusers of money meant to improve the welfare of voters should be punished.
In the circumstances, therefore, the offending MPs will virtually go scot free, getting away with a synonym of murder in the process. Should that happen and this pen hopes that the government will throw the law book at the MPs in question – how can anyone expect the fear of the law and of God to proliferate in the hearts of potential offenders when those who, by virtue of their office, should be conversant with the harsh nuances of law on even petty crimes ride roughshod over the law just like that?
It is obviously in the public interest, since the money stolen for personal use was taxpayers’ money, for the names of the indicted MPs, their constituencies and the parties they represent to be published so that the electorate know the stuff which the people they sent to the august house are made of in order for the people to vote more wisely next time. It goes without saying that those whose track records are blighted by a culture of corruption should forfeit the right to represent people in any high office in the land, as their behaviour damages the country’s standing in the eyes of not only right thinking Zimbabweans, but of those in the international communities as well.
An obvious question arises as to why such a large number of lawmakers did what they did without any apparent fear of reprisal. Connivance does not appear possible here, so what could have opened the doors of their hearts to the devil to rule in them?
This pen believes that the absence of any monitoring mechanism in the constituencies in question convinced the offending MPs that they could flout the law at will for their benefits as no Big Brother was watching them, or was there a more sinister motivating factor behind their actions?
This pen suggests that if committees are set up in every constituency to oversee the use of any CDF allocated to them in the future the money will go a long way in improving the welfare of constituents.
Obviously the authorities are better placed to come up with more effective remedial measures so that members of parliament are seen to deliver on the mandate given by voters, instead of arrogating unto themselves the right wantonly to deprive voters of financial assistance for their upliftment.
A kind of ethical code should bind MPs to serve those who put them in power instead of trading, as in the case under discussion, their servanthood for personal enrichment obviously aware that if caught they will be treated with kid gloves.
Our MPs should be ardent role models for young aspiring members of parliament.
Thus, like any other people who crave a brave and triumphant social, economic and political future, Zimbabweans deserve, and demand, people grown up and mature in character as leaders to serve the motherland
Online Reporter