#mugabe must walk the talk

via Mugabe must walk the talk – DailyNews Live  17 MARCH 2014

When President Robert Mugabe was sworn in last year for another five-year team, he promised to deliver on the election promises he made to the 14 million people whose eyes are fixed on him.

Addressing 60 000 people at his inauguration soon after his disputed poll victory last year, Mugabe said the time for elections had passed and his leadership was now tasked with improving the lives of the people who voted him in office.

He said: “I stand before you as now a sworn President of Zimbabwe. My mandate comes from the just-ended election which my party won resoundingly. But there are key truths that come with that victory, which come with that honour.

“…the peasant who cast his vote on July 31, created my victory and thus made a portion of my presidency, I am at his service, and his emissary and servant. He or she did not cast that precious vote in vain, did not repose it in us without expectations of a good, deserved return.”

To ensure that Mugabe had to deliver on his promises, he appointed a cabinet tasked with turning around a battered economy.

The economy had shown signs of improvement during the life of the inclusive government but soon after elections, the situation deteriorated again, at least $2 billion was withdrawn from banks as people panicked that the Zimbabwean dollar was due to return and investors completely shut the door on us.

The Daily News, as part of our policy of telling it like it is, without fear or favour has been looking at the performance of cabinet ministers especially those from key economic ministries and as it turns out, most of them have failed the test.

What is shocking is that some of them, like minister of Agriculture Joseph Made, minister of Energy Dzikamai Mavhaire, minister of Industry Mike Bimha and minister of Finance Patrick Chinamasa are completely clueless and Mugabe must take firm action against them.

Newspapers have an obligation to speak on behalf of the voiceless, and the masses are complaining — there is hunger, disease and unemployment.

Social services have deteriorated to alarming levels — people have no clean drinking water, pot holes have become part of our everyday living, raw sewage is flowing all over the place and the people are confused. Does the government care, they ask?

This is why in commuter omnibuses, churches, bars, homes, political and social gatherings, the chorus is the same — where is this government taking us to?

Mugabe must wake up and smell the coffee. The ministers in charge of key ministries are taking him down slowly and only decisive action will help rescue the people from this economic torture.