Opinion / Columnist
Mugabe's anger, a show of concern
10 Jun 2014 at 08:16hrs | Views
As he painted some glowing remarks on the late revolutionary icon Nathan Shamuyarira's life at the National Heroes' Acre on Saturday, President Robert Mugabe lambasted individuals involved in factional fighting and corruption within the ruling party saying these people were like "weevils in the grain" that spoiled the whole food basket or silo meant to feed the whole family or nation.
The president also blasted certain powerful individuals within the party for using the media to advance their own personal agendas.
On Friday, he fingered the Information and Broadcasting Services minister Jonathan Moyo for using the state media to, not only promote party factionalism, but turning the tables through the appointment to government-linked media houses, certain media practitioners who were known to be against the ideals of government.
These are Mugabe's strongest and yet honest, remarks about what is troubling him and his party in recent months. Although he did not directly hint at factional fighting within the party, one can almost read between the lines as to what he was referring to.
Without putting too much onto the plate, one could look back at the sweeping changes Moyo has undertaken both at the national broadcaster, the Zimbabwe Broadcasting Holdings and the state-owned Zimbabwe Newspapers Group soon after the infamous 'salarygate' scandal that rocked the state-owned enterprises.
And before this, scandals within the diamond industry that resulted into high profile investigations of deals running into millions, that were never declared to the fiscus by certain individuals who escaped the wrath of law, even when Mugabe himself had declared at a public arena - such as the one he used to blast Moyo - that he would diligently deal with people involved in such activities.
As debate around the president's speech swirls around many public discussions, many have already developed a "wait-and-see" attitude to what will unfold. A simple analysis from previous outbursts made at such public gatherings from the country's highest presidium reveals that not much action, if any, would take place against the named individuals.
Source - Zim Mail
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