Residents blast Mugabe over cabinet sittings

CHITUNGWIZA – Several residents here have criticised the government for centralizing power in the hands of President Robert Mugabe.

In an interview with Chitownews, residents said they are not happy with the situation where cabinet cannot meet when the president is out of the country.

Zimbabwe has two vice presidents who are called first and second vice presidents with the first vice assuming the office of the president whenever the president is out of the country.

The statement attributed to the Chief Secretary to the President and the Cabinet Dr Misheck Sibanda informing the cabinet of the resumption of sitting on the 27th of January 2015 after a long period confirms the fears by the majority that centralized power has killed the nation.

President Mugabe went on a vacation to the far- east on the 14th of December 2014 and returned last week with a meeting scheduled for the 27th of January. This means that cabinet has not met for nearly 45 days despite the mounting economic and social challenges prevailing in the country.

“It’s very sad that the government has not met for more than a month and more so this is the start of the year when they must be busy shaping the year’s resolutions,’’ said one male citizen of St Mary’s who refused to be identified.

The country has been failing to meet basic obligations like civil servant salaries and bonuses on a stipulated and agreed dates but the executive has not been meeting to find ways of addressing the prevailing challenges.

Others are of the view that the country is now under a dictatorship as power has been centralized on one individual and the vice presidents being ceremonial.

“We are now under a dictatorship. Vice presidents are ceremonial only,” said Mr Leonard Mundiya of Unit E, Seke.

Some believe that this is a clear sign of leadership crisis bedeviling the ruling ZANU PF and Zimbabwe’s body politic at large where there is no trust among the leadership and bootlicking is the order of the days.

“This shows that the president does not even trust the abilities of his deputies to deliver the mandate of leading the nation let alone himself,” said a young lady who refused to be identified. Chitownews