adminplead for democracy inpolitical life while practicing the opposite in social life. I have always observed, I am sure like other people may have done, thatthere is generally anarchy either on the roads or in social behaviour insociety. Such kind of society cannot deserve or practice democracy.
Take foran example, political leaders, be they MPs or those inhigh positions in their parties, making utterances that disturb the peace ofthe people. Imagine also, newspapers peddling highly divisive politics in the name ofPress freedom without any regard to the consequences of the young andreceptive minds.
All of this is done to score points. Here the example ofthe ever obsession with the health of President Mugabe comes to mind. Whyshould newspapers dwell on the personal life of the President? It is a rightof every citizen to consult their doctors in private or even to go forannual checkups.
Doctors recommend this. Should the Press accompanyeverybody who visits a doctor? Another aspect is that of prominent politicians who are just likeeverybody else as far as their social lives are concerned. They marry andhave arguments with their wives.
They agree to divorce. No big deal sincemany people in society do the same. Should the terms of their divorce bepublic knowledge just because they are public figures? What about the effecton their children and relatives?
One politician in the USA remarked that he was not running for the Papacywhen stories started circulating about his past social life. What isof importance to the public is whether the actions of those in high officehave a bearing on their political life.
Yes, being in politics means apublic life of their conduct especially in business dealings but not theirmarried life. Freedom of speech like the freedom of the Press will always have limits. In France, private life, whether anyone has a mistress on the side, hereit’s the small house, has no consequence on the political life ofpoliticians or high-ranking officials in Government.
But if Government funds are abused, then there would have been an infringement of the rules governing the conduct of those in high office. Surely going to visit a dentist or being involved in a divorce cannot beparaded in public.
It is this obsession with private lives of others thathas soured the politics of this country. People are reluctant to focus onthe real issues affecting society. The lack of orderly life is at the rootcause of underdevelopment in Zimbabwe.
How many times do people see motorists throwing trash on to the roads from their vehicles? Even from public transport. How many times do people see Government issued vehicles being abused by those allocated to them? These are the real stories that should be published in the Press.
Anything, which borders on illegality should be made public. That is how society supervises itself not to wait for policemen while the community applauds wrong doers.
Many people have seen those charged with service delivery short changingthe community. How many times do we see endless queues of people wanting to pay for services which are not adequate anywhere, being punished as those charged with receiving money close and leave their stations at will?
These are the real stories for the Press to report. People cannot yearnfor a better political life when there is no better community service orresponsibility to the community. Many people my have been appalled to readabout desperate sick individuals with no income to support themselvesappealing for medical treatment especially for tumors developing in theirmouths.
The appeals are published in the Press and yet there are Government hospitals with Government specialists who should treat such patients free of charge. Unless the treatment is not available in Zimbabwe, then the Government, through the Ministry of Health and Child Welfare, should takeover, either to bring specialists or to pay for such treatment outside the country.
Where is the conscience of this country where people in Government drivethe latest cars while one sick person has to appeal through the Press fortreatment? Not only that, the Press fails to see the enormity of the wholesituation.
They become the conduit of failed policies by appealing to thepublic for money to treat a patient in a Government hospital supported bytaxes from the public.The Ministry of Health should set up a fund for such rare cases.
There isa fund for HIV/Aids cases. Why not the same fund be used for rare tumourcases? As long as our social life and conscience do not complement our desire for democracy, we shall end up with nothing.
Online Reporter