We need polls — residents

Herald Reporters
Harare residents polled yesterday expressed general disgust with the manner in which some elements of the inclusive Government have treated the issue of workers’ welfare over the past two years.
Two years after promising civil servants good salaries and an end to water and power cuts, people yesterday said MDC-T leader Mr Morgan Tsvangirai — who is Prime Minister in the inclusive Government — had delivered nothing.
Civil servants are now waiting on President Mugabe’s indication that they could soon benefit from diamond sales.
The inclusive Government yesterday marked two years of existence and the three parties to the Global Political Agreement will soon meet to review progress.
Indications are that MDC-T will try and avoid an election this year by pushing for a continuation of the inclusive Government while Zanu-PF has already said it is fed up with its partners’ insincerity and would prefer to go to the polls.
Mr Crispen Maronga of Marlborough said: “This Govern-ment brought stability in the economy — thanks to the political maturity presented by our political leaders. We are, however, concerned that the Western illegal sanctions are still in place impeding economic recovery. We expected that MDC-T as a party that called for the san-ctions was going to do the honorable thing by calling for the lifting of the embargo.”
Mrs Janet Chimbodza added: “What has happened to all those promises of better salaries? Instead all we get from the Finance and Public Service ministries are insults. Why call us cry babies and yet they are living good lives while we suffer. In this regard, the inclusive Government has failed. It’s better to end it and we go to elections. At least President Mugabe has been proactive in resolving our problems.”
Ms Charity Makina of Glenview said the continued bickering by parties in the inclusive Government was cause for concern and elections were the best solution. “The nation should just go to elections to end this loveless marriage between Zanu-PF and the MDC formations. It is, however, critical that we acknowledge some of the positives brought by this arrangement, such as economic stability,” she said.
The inclusive Government was formed on February 11, 2009. There are strong indications that the coalition will subsist until the constitution-making process is complete.
Thereafter, a referendum is expected to be held and the nation will hold elections.