Zimbabwe under attack from within

It is without doubt that government is facing resistance from the civil service, a lumbering elephant of half a million workers, in carrying out its reforms.

This is because civil servants are used to the former style of governance and that more than a few officers felt they worked for politicians in the former system and, not the people.

In recent months, we have heard laments by ministers and other leaders about how civil servants are not in sync with the new government. The lack of cooperation from the civil service is one of the major reasons the government is unable to fulfil many of its election promises within 100 days. ED had been wrong to assume the civil service would support the new government, "They did not facilitate changes but they are fighting for a change of the change.

it is easy to note  the antagonistic attitude, and one should question the loyalty, of civil servants, their actions borders on the lines of sabotage.

Senior civil servants are among those resisting changes introduced by the new government and one reason for this is their long association with the former which had resulted in strong bonds of friendship with top former politicians and their families. The allegiance given to the former system is so strong that the preaching of unity and progress is nothing but total waste of time.

Another reason is that these officials were promoted by the previous administration and they feel obliged to stay loyal to it. Some senior and very senior officials had leap-frogged over others in appointments, thanks to former ministers. Now thinking that these people will do anything for the good of the people is irresponsible. Most failures which have just come out in less than a month are created by the people who are supposed to be the vehicle of the government. The engine of the government policies is its civil service. Investment projects have taken long to be implemented, donors and investors have been openly told that they must look elsewhere because the keys to open the country for business have been lost.

Other civil servants are disheartened by appointments and promotions of totally new people ahead of them. The cronyism syndrome is being created in a different way and it harms the progress in the state machinery. There is a much hidden protest which is pulling the government down. Without the implementation of the policies all calls for open for business becomes rhetoric.

Another reason for the resistance is fear.  some of them fear if they cooperate with the ED's government, someone aligned to the previous administration may send anonymous complaints to the Anti-Corruption Commission  about them, detailing stuff they'd rather not come out in the open. So they play to the tune of those left in charge to do down the present.

This is a very real fear, given the fact that the ACC is actively ferreting out acts of corruption and has even taken the former ministers to court. It should be noted that there are many good civil servants who wanted to help the nation progress, regardless of who was in charge of the government.  The majority of civil servants are apolitical when it comes to work performance. But those in the positions of authority have their allegiance elsewhere.

Some civil servants are placing obstacles in the path of, or delaying, the new government's directives because many of them had bought into the narrative that without Mugabe they would lose their privileges. This includes the so-called better educated officers in senior positions and those who have relations beyond the work.

These officers, are ready to scuttle any reform they perceived to be against the dominance or interests of the nation even if these were not so and even if, in the long run, it would hurt the nation. There are some excellent civil servants who act professionally.

At the same time, it is noticed that almost all civil servants have had an overly strong sense of deference for the former system especially ministers, and even for the very top civil servants. Whittle down this deference, this culture of complaisance, and civil servants will likely act more professionally.

The constant refrain of shefu and shefu that civil servants use when addressing ministers and top civil servants has served to make them servile. Many of these ministers and top officials are not accessible, or easily accessible, to many civil servants, not to speak of the layman, and there are layers that one has to go through to get to the top. This has created a buffer zone which only serves to destroy the nation. Unfortunately the president is supposed to listen but he over trusts his civil servants and his ministers. Too much deference can lead to blind loyalty. The leadership has to remove this culture of deference and make top civil servants more accessible. Again the president must be accessible to his MPs and ministers. There is a thick layer created around the president by those who believe that they own him. This has removed him from the civil servants and made the nation adrift from the head of state.

There is a problem that anyone who becomes a senior officer or director is given an honorific, almost as if the title comes with the post. That could make him or her feel bloated and expect obeisance. The government should go slow and be very selective in recommending awards to civil servants. The same principle should apply to politicians. This awarding of posts which are not deserved is indeed suffocating.

There is a difference in the reaction of civil servants when an ordinary person wants to meet them. The attitude is horrific, people are treated as; less important, and this behaviour turns people against their government and not against the individual civil servants who treat them bad. The behaviour of the civil servants is atrocious and deeply depressing and flabbergasting. It is knee shaking to say the least. Zimbabwe needs a working civil service this political correctness has plunged the nation in abyss.

It is also noted that there is, the incompetence of more than a few civil servants, the result of a hiring policy in the past that was neither based on merit nor natural justice. We know that in any administration or office, the incompetent always fear a new management which comes with a new work ethos. in that view they work against the new order in order to safeguard their jobs.

One way to check on the civil service is to quickly enact a freedom of information act, so that NGOs and the public can help keep an eye on them. Another is to ensure appointments and promotions are based strictly on merit. Yet another is to convince the civil service that Zimbabwe will not lose out if policies are implemented and how this is good for the nation in the long run.

Certainly we can expect some civil servants to continue to resist the new government's plans, but I hope this will not be used as an excuse to promote civil servants who are close to politicians, or appoint junior officers over the heads of senior ones, unless the senior officers are incorrigibly incompetent or corrupt or lazy.

But it is important to note that the majority of civil servants are acting in good faith; otherwise there would have been chaos in the governance of the country after restore legacy.

And don't forget, our diplomats continue to keep Zimbabwe's image flying even though a new government is in place; those in local authorities continue to clean and clear rubbish; and many other civil servants keep the wheels of government turning.

The government must act on those who are doing down the policies of the government only to get at the new order. Most civil servants are so self-cantered that they will not push anything for the good of the nation. They are so selfish that all they consider is money, government trips and nothing else.

vazet2000@yahoo.co.uk