MP’s appetite to spend money that we don’t have

By Moses Chamboko

Recent media reports on Zimbabwe ministers’ propensity for opulence is most disconcerting if not sordid. To paraphrase the late Eddison Zvobgo when castigating ZANU PF’s profligacy “Some of us have now developed an insatiable appetite to spend money that we don’t have.” Inside the inclusive government, the same disastrous proclivity seems to be repeating itself.

Sekesai Makwavarara, the disgraced former mayoress of Harare, was once on record as saying that she deserved a luxury off-road vehicle because the roads and streets of Harare were in such a bad state that they could cause damage to her official Mercedes Benz or even harm to her person while moving around the city. This was coming from an officer whose primary function was ironically to provide service delivery to the same city with infrastructure she needed protection against!

True, our ministers and MP’s deserve and need decent vehicles to go about their lawful duties but how does anybody justify three new luxury vehicles per minister? Even leaders of our traditional donor nations we often turn to in times of need do not live this kind of a life. Are we not ashamed of ourselves when we want to live a lifestyle that could make Hollywood look like an ordinary village?

Oliver Mtukudzi, arguably Zimbabwe’s most successful artist, started his career well before some of our present-day politicians were even conceived, literally. For decades, he worked very hard to be where he is. Isn’t it only this year that he bought himself what is believed to be a very decent vehicle?

Strive Masiyiwa has come a very long way too. For years, he was just an ordinary businessman in Harare. Later, he was to be involved in a very long battle with a corrupt government while trying to set up his telephony business. If he was like some of our colleagues who have been in government for barely three years, he could be flying a private jet today. Even if he did, not many would give a toss given that the guy has worked very hard for every cent that he owns.

Why do Zimbabwean ministers, whose official monthly income is probably just enough to pay for an average power bill in a developed country think that they can and must live like kings? If they so wish, they are free to do so for as long as they use their own resources and not short-change the taxpayer. This is not to say our ministers should not live a decent life, but they must live within their means.

Over the past three decades, Zimbabwe has seen some of the most astounding and illicit affluence by our political leadership. With the birth of the hybrid government, the expectation was that this vicious cycle would be put to an end. Alas, it appears there is now intense competition on both sides of politics to be the first one to jump onto the gravy train.

For ZANU PF, it may be understandable given that this has been part of their chemistry as much as violence is their second nature. They are also cognisant of the reality that this could be the last supper. How about our colleagues in whom we have entrusted our future? Isn’t it too early to start imitating the devil? Some of you are now behaving like baboons in a maize field, to borrow from the Prime Minister when he was describing ZANU PF greed.

The world we now live in is one where leaders shall always be held accountable. If you ask Obama, he will probably admit that he never imagined the gravity of American presidency until the same people who elevated him into The White House started demanding jobs and better social services. On the other side of the planet, Julia Gillard is now having sleepless nights over carbon tax having promised voters during her campaign that she would never ever make Australians pay such a tax.

This is the nature of voters across the globe; they now demand more transparency, accountability and action as opposed to meaningless rhetoric. Zimbabweans are in the same boat too. In a third world economy with less than USD10 billion GDP (well below BHP’s annual profit), why should our leaders want to live the life of saints and angels?

The Prime Minister, as leader of government business and chief operating officer, should decisively and ruthlessly put his foot down to stop this rot. Zimbabweans want to see enough nurses in hospitals, more teachers in schools, adequate and affordable medication in clinics and hospitals as well as pothole-free roads before a few greedy individuals start satisfying their egocentric desires.

Politicians must remember that they are servants of the people and never masters.

The writer Moses Chamboko can be reached on [email protected]