MP, where art thou?

My heartfelt gratitude goes to ZBC TV for airing live parliamentary debates every week.

Indeed, had they not done so, I would not have gotten an opportunity to discover that our Member of Parliament is alive and well. As concerned citizens, we were on our way to the police station to have him listed as a missing person - last seen - July 31 2013.

As such, it is with a mixture of relief which is turning into bitterness every week, that I watch the not-so-honourable MP we elected 11 months ago, strutting in parliament, purporting to represent our interests.
What constituency are you talking about honourable when you last set foot in it close to a year ago?

What happened to all the promises of development and upgrading of our standard of living?

In case somehow, inexplicably, you got your mandate confused, honourable, you were elected to serve our interests, not your own.

A brand new all-terrain vehicle and a seating allowance are NOT priorities.
Constituency development projects and the articulation of our wishes and views in parliament (after having consulted us) should be your major concerns not dressing up for parliament each week.

Do you not feel ashamed when your fellow parliamentarians talk of their constituencies when you barely remember the road (and potholes) to your own?

The unemployed youths that you promised to help with employment creation projects are still waiting expectantly.

The orphans you promised assistance are still going to bed hungry and being chased away from school for non-payment of fees.

The foundation for the new clinic is slowly filling with rubbish.

The potholes in our roads have since turned into dish-holes that even your all-terrain vehicle will find hard to navigate through.

While it is common knowledge that the country is undergoing economic challenges, that should not stop you, honourable, from visiting your constituency and implementing the promises you made to us.

We are seeing in neighbouring constituencies, development taking place and we wonder if the constituencies are in the same country.

Sentiments expressed by ZANU-PF national chairman, Simon Khaya Moyo, where he urged the party's parliamentarians to deliver on their election promises were indeed music to my ears.

"We want reports as a party so that we check on the developmental projects these (MPs) are making in their constituencies…we are a people-oriented party, hence our theme, which calls for peace, unity and development. That is the reason we had to transform that winning formula into a blueprint called Zim-Asset for tangible results to be seen by the people," he said.
MDC-T should also implement similar performance check measures.

While laudable, I would like to urge Moyo, not to rely on the reports only as they are bound to be doctored.

I will consult with my fellow constituents, and see if we can come up with our own report on our missing-in-action MP.

And to you honourable MP, please come home!