Mugabe throws Chinamasa under the bus

PRESIDENT Robert Mugabe's government's policy inconsistency was laid bare on Tuesday after it dramatically reversed the scrapping of bonuses for civil servants and salary cuts, hardly a week after Finance minister Patrick Chinamasa announced the shock measures.

Former Finance minister and opposition PDP leader, Tendai Biti, yesterday said the decision to reinstate bonuses exposed Mugabe's politics of betrayal, being the chairperson of the Cabinet committee on economic affairs that approves the fiscal statement before it is tabled in Parliament.

"Before you present the budget or mid-term policy review statement, it is subjected to a committee of Cabinet on economic affairs chaired by the President himself," he said.

"It has all ministers in the economic cluster, as well as the Vice-Presidents. This is the only committee whose chairperson is the President and I have no doubt in my mind that Mugabe was aware of these measures.

"To me, as is normal and characteristic of a banana republic, Mugabe has decided to throw his minister under the bus. He has decided to humiliate him and embarrass him like this."

Biti said Mugabe and members of the budget committee receive the final draft days before it is printed and presented to Parliament.
"So it is folly for anyone to think that my learned friend, Chinamasa, would go before the House and announce without approval from Mugabe. Never," he said.