Opinion / Columnist
Devolution and the devil's workshop
18 Apr 2016 at 07:14hrs | Views
Indeed, a renewed call for devolution is coming from idle minds. This is not what nation builders do. Nation building entails bringing different people together, not dividing them.
Former Vice President Joice Mujuru's Zimbabwe People First (ZPF) tossed its hat into the ring with an undertaking to build the economy. It projected translating its vision through a proposed economic blueprint called Blueprint to Unlock Investment and Leverage for Development (BUILD). Thus, the members of ZPF christen themselves 'builders'.
Ever since that party was launched a month ago, there is very little that shows commitment to the building of the nation. It has been making outlandish allegations and frivolous demands that have nothing to do with its impaired vision of building the nation.
During the weekend, ZPF attempted to lure supporters from Bulawayo by demanding the implementation of devolution. It was a cheap score really. ZPF is frantically trying to win the elusive vote of the Matabeleland region by centering its campaign on issues perceived to be of innermost concern for people from that region.
A few weeks ago, ZPF has been raking reminiscence of the Gukurahundi epoch, pledging to relook into the issue. That did not bring grist to its mill. This time around, the focus has been directed to the concept of devolution. During the constitution-making process, devolution gained traction in Matabeleland region. It is against this realisation that ZPF attempted to placate the people they think are disillusioned, just to score a cheap political mileage.
Commenting on devolution debate then, the late Vice President, John Landa Nkomo, said: "When it comes to devolution of power, I don't know what some people think really but some of these things come from idle minds. They never look at the implications of what they say." Indeed, a renewed call for devolution is coming from idle minds. This is not what nation builders do. Nation building entails bringing different people together, not dividing them.
One wonders whether ZPF is in touch with the present reality. Their demand for the implementation of devolution at a time the nation is facing financial challenges only saves to show that ZPF is not a serious party.
Government is currently seized with the importation of grain to make sure that nobody dies of hunger. Treasury is having sleepless nights over salaries and bonuses of civil servants. The civil servants' wage bill currently stands at 83 percent of total Government earning. This is not economically viable, thus there are efforts to reduce it to 53 percent.
The implementation of devolution will work at cross purposes with Government efforts to reduce the civil service wage bill. Devolution will entail the creation of extra offices and their bearers. The offices will need to be equipped. Vehicles will have to be purchased and Treasury will have to pay the extra workforce in the provincial councils.
It is true and undisputable that Sections 264 and 265 of the Constitution call for the devolution of powers and responsibilities. However, that Constitution does not force Government to implement those ideas when there is no money. A level-headed government prioritises national needs. Even a sane family man does so and it would be strange for him to have a party when his wife is in the mortuary. The current economic situation naturally relegates devolution to the periphery.
ZPF is that kind of a party which, if it miraculously gets into power, will always have its priorities wrong. Such misplaced priorities do not come as a surprise to most of the people, more so coming from a leadership that has a history of misplacing priorities.
John Makwasha, one of the war veterans featured on the Sunday Mail's "Chronicles from the Second Chimurenga", said that Mr Rugare Gumbo, a ZPF elder, once abandoned the liberation struggle to go for further education.
"Others who went to school at the time include people like Salatiel Hamadziripi and Rugare Gumbo, who told us pointblank kuti 'imi musina kudzidza ndimi murikuenda kunodzidza pfuti kana matora nyika isusu tirikuenda kuchikoro touya tokutongai'," said Makwasha.
Veteran Zambian politician Dr Vernon Mwaanga also said that some Zanu-PF leaders domiciled in Zambia drew the ire of Zambians after they were found eating chicken in the basket which was a popular dish among the elite in Zambia. Zambians were angered because these leaders prioritised sumptuousness instead of intensifying the struggle. Gumbo is one of those people whose culture of misplaced priorities still haunts him today.
ZPF wants Government to suspend the programme of buying food for people and direct resources towards devolution. Though people voted for devolution during the constitution-making process, they have not demanded its hasty implementation because they are not lost to the current harsh economic environment. It is therefore, not clear whose agenda ZPF is advancing.
In any case, devolution is not the best of practice for a country such as Zimbabwe. It is a product of compromise whose inclusion in the Constitution was forced by the opposition for political expediency. Its impact on socio-economic development is not guaranteed. Even President Mugabe expressed his aversion for devolution during his 88th birthday interview with ZBC in 2012.
"We don't want to divide the country into small pieces because it will cause disunity among our people," said President Mugabe adding that the concept only worked in big countries. Most of the countries cited by the movers of devolution as success stories are quite bigger than Zimbabwe.
Some provinces are economically endowed in terms of resources and therefore these regions have an edge over others. Devolution is likely to increase regional inequalities especially when provinces are given the power to utilise the revenue from their own resources.
It means devolution will benefit the rich regions. Contrary to the perception held by the advocates of devolution, the practice can compound marginalisation of certain regions. This will also leads to inter-regional conflict particularly in the re-allocation of resources. Some ethnic conflicts in North Africa are rooted in this system.
Devolution also limits the central government oversight and there is too much duplication of functions which eventually leads to wastage of resources. There will be also a lot of competition for local investors among provinces, leading to possible ethnic hatred.
Government has since adopted decentralisation in public administration, which is the best practice for a country like Zimbabwe. One does not need to be a rocket scientist to see that federalism and secessionism is being disguised as devolution.
Former Vice President Joice Mujuru's Zimbabwe People First (ZPF) tossed its hat into the ring with an undertaking to build the economy. It projected translating its vision through a proposed economic blueprint called Blueprint to Unlock Investment and Leverage for Development (BUILD). Thus, the members of ZPF christen themselves 'builders'.
Ever since that party was launched a month ago, there is very little that shows commitment to the building of the nation. It has been making outlandish allegations and frivolous demands that have nothing to do with its impaired vision of building the nation.
During the weekend, ZPF attempted to lure supporters from Bulawayo by demanding the implementation of devolution. It was a cheap score really. ZPF is frantically trying to win the elusive vote of the Matabeleland region by centering its campaign on issues perceived to be of innermost concern for people from that region.
A few weeks ago, ZPF has been raking reminiscence of the Gukurahundi epoch, pledging to relook into the issue. That did not bring grist to its mill. This time around, the focus has been directed to the concept of devolution. During the constitution-making process, devolution gained traction in Matabeleland region. It is against this realisation that ZPF attempted to placate the people they think are disillusioned, just to score a cheap political mileage.
Commenting on devolution debate then, the late Vice President, John Landa Nkomo, said: "When it comes to devolution of power, I don't know what some people think really but some of these things come from idle minds. They never look at the implications of what they say." Indeed, a renewed call for devolution is coming from idle minds. This is not what nation builders do. Nation building entails bringing different people together, not dividing them.
One wonders whether ZPF is in touch with the present reality. Their demand for the implementation of devolution at a time the nation is facing financial challenges only saves to show that ZPF is not a serious party.
Government is currently seized with the importation of grain to make sure that nobody dies of hunger. Treasury is having sleepless nights over salaries and bonuses of civil servants. The civil servants' wage bill currently stands at 83 percent of total Government earning. This is not economically viable, thus there are efforts to reduce it to 53 percent.
The implementation of devolution will work at cross purposes with Government efforts to reduce the civil service wage bill. Devolution will entail the creation of extra offices and their bearers. The offices will need to be equipped. Vehicles will have to be purchased and Treasury will have to pay the extra workforce in the provincial councils.
It is true and undisputable that Sections 264 and 265 of the Constitution call for the devolution of powers and responsibilities. However, that Constitution does not force Government to implement those ideas when there is no money. A level-headed government prioritises national needs. Even a sane family man does so and it would be strange for him to have a party when his wife is in the mortuary. The current economic situation naturally relegates devolution to the periphery.
ZPF is that kind of a party which, if it miraculously gets into power, will always have its priorities wrong. Such misplaced priorities do not come as a surprise to most of the people, more so coming from a leadership that has a history of misplacing priorities.
John Makwasha, one of the war veterans featured on the Sunday Mail's "Chronicles from the Second Chimurenga", said that Mr Rugare Gumbo, a ZPF elder, once abandoned the liberation struggle to go for further education.
"Others who went to school at the time include people like Salatiel Hamadziripi and Rugare Gumbo, who told us pointblank kuti 'imi musina kudzidza ndimi murikuenda kunodzidza pfuti kana matora nyika isusu tirikuenda kuchikoro touya tokutongai'," said Makwasha.
Veteran Zambian politician Dr Vernon Mwaanga also said that some Zanu-PF leaders domiciled in Zambia drew the ire of Zambians after they were found eating chicken in the basket which was a popular dish among the elite in Zambia. Zambians were angered because these leaders prioritised sumptuousness instead of intensifying the struggle. Gumbo is one of those people whose culture of misplaced priorities still haunts him today.
ZPF wants Government to suspend the programme of buying food for people and direct resources towards devolution. Though people voted for devolution during the constitution-making process, they have not demanded its hasty implementation because they are not lost to the current harsh economic environment. It is therefore, not clear whose agenda ZPF is advancing.
In any case, devolution is not the best of practice for a country such as Zimbabwe. It is a product of compromise whose inclusion in the Constitution was forced by the opposition for political expediency. Its impact on socio-economic development is not guaranteed. Even President Mugabe expressed his aversion for devolution during his 88th birthday interview with ZBC in 2012.
"We don't want to divide the country into small pieces because it will cause disunity among our people," said President Mugabe adding that the concept only worked in big countries. Most of the countries cited by the movers of devolution as success stories are quite bigger than Zimbabwe.
Some provinces are economically endowed in terms of resources and therefore these regions have an edge over others. Devolution is likely to increase regional inequalities especially when provinces are given the power to utilise the revenue from their own resources.
It means devolution will benefit the rich regions. Contrary to the perception held by the advocates of devolution, the practice can compound marginalisation of certain regions. This will also leads to inter-regional conflict particularly in the re-allocation of resources. Some ethnic conflicts in North Africa are rooted in this system.
Devolution also limits the central government oversight and there is too much duplication of functions which eventually leads to wastage of resources. There will be also a lot of competition for local investors among provinces, leading to possible ethnic hatred.
Government has since adopted decentralisation in public administration, which is the best practice for a country like Zimbabwe. One does not need to be a rocket scientist to see that federalism and secessionism is being disguised as devolution.
Source - the herald
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