DARE petition to Mugabe on corruption

We, the DARE (Democratic Assembly for Restoration and Empowerment) being borne of a free and proud generation of Zimbabweans believe where corruption is alleged, sunlight is the best disinfectant.

Therefore, DARE implores His Excellency’s office to exercise His Excellency’s constitutional mandate to protect and safeguard the interests of the people of Zimbabwe by allowing and holding to account those who have either clandestinely or publicly looted our State and quasi-State coffers.

Mr. President, Zimbabweans in their homes and on the fields, on the street, in pubs and churches, in gyms and hospitals, in places of work and play are disappointed, shocked and angered by the undemocratic gagging of our representatives in parliament from debating the motion on alleged blatant looting, (the so called “salary gate scandal”) of Government and quasi-Government institutions.

The prevailing feeling among Zimbabweans is that the Executive is out of touch with the public mood, reminiscent of the period prior to the year 1999. The uncaring attitude manifested in the treatment of victims of floods at Tokwe- Mukosi and shameful uprooting of more than 900 families at Manzou in Mazowe reinforce a perception of an Executive that is uncaring and out of touch with the needs and plight of the ordinary people.

In the same vein, with respect , Zimbabweans feel that the Speaker of Parliament in protecting the criminal transgressions of an elite group of individuals at the expense of the Nation and State is a grave miscarriage of natural justice and our constitutionally guaranteed right to be heard in parliament.

Therefore, we implore his Excellency to posthaste allow and enable Parliament to institute a commission of enquiry into the “Salary Gate” scandal and other allegations raised by Billy Rautenbach and his Honourable Member of Parliament, Temba Mliswa, without leaving any sacred cows.

The commission of inquiry will enable parliament to investigate and act on all proven acts of corruption in different State and quasi-State institutions. This is an imperative in restoring a culture of transparency, accountability and compliance in governance.

Furthermore, the negative direct correlation between corruption (whether perceived or real) and deplorable and deteriorating public service delivery has not been lost on the public.

The negative direct correlation between management’s hefty perks and nonpayment of workers for months and sometimes years on end is a real and painful phenomenon Mr. President. On a related note, the yawning income inequality gap, insanely skewed in management’s favour is unsustainable, unjustifiable and criminal.

Ultimately, failure or reluctance to act might justifiably be viewed as a cover up and criminal collusion between cabinet ministers, their officials and by extrapolation, the head of Government. In that scenario ZimAsset, the Government’s flagship economic plan would be reduced to nothing but a pipe dream and a smoke screen to loot and plunder State resources.

There is a crying need for a root and branch reorganization of Government and quasi-Government institutions to realign them with expectations from the most important stakeholder, the Zimbabwean public. There is a need to restore the ideals of the liberation struggle and empower all Zimbabweans and not just a few.

Act on the petition Mr. President, our country’s public health and your legacy depends on it.