'Untouchable bullies' abusing CDF funds

IN Zimbabwe's august House some (dis) honourable members flex their necks or move around with an articulated swagger to show off to an assembly of other respected MPs the stuff of which they are made.

They are probably even more vocal in criticising the performances of colleagues, or remain mum for almost an eternity as they ponder on whether the lid on the can of worms - cloak-and-dagger activities - in their constituencies will remain intact for as long as they themselves remain in parliament.

But unfortunately for them, the worms' can has now been prised open to expose these wriggling creatures that must be unmasked to show their ugly faces beneath the plastic façade they were before their more respected colleagues in the House.

These are the parliamentarians accused of preventing audits of Constituency Development Funds allocated by the government for the development of their constituencies.

Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Secretary Virginia Mabhiza made the shocking disclosures recently when appearing before a parliamentary portfolio committee to explain irregularities discovered in her ministry by Auditor General Mildred Chiri.

In a story that appeared in the public media last week, Mabhiza revealed that some legislators had threatened government officials auditing the CDF and, as a result, 53 constituencies had remained unaudited.

The secretary said she also needed protection herself as it was not easy to disclose some of the occurrences that the auditors encountered in the constituencies.

The country faces a really serious situation in light of the threats of violence that have prevented government auditors from finding out how constituency development funds disbursed were used to benefit those who elected the MPs whose ill-repute must now surely be stalking the aching hearts of the voters who gave these leaders the thumbs-up.

For instance, was the threat of violence used as a cover up by those MPs that remain unnamed for the misdirection or embezzlement of CDF cash which remains unaccounted for in the absence of government audits?

As it is, the state of development or under development of the constituencies affected remains unknown to the government in the absence of statistics showing projects on which CDF money was spent.

Is it also not possible that the MPs who reportedly prevented audits of their constituencies may also have threatened those who elected them to parliament never to utter a syllable to the government about the social and economic challenges that they undoubtedly continue to face?

And, anyway why have the violent-prone MPs not been thrown the book to face the wrath of the law for behaving as though they were a law unto themselves?

Or are these people so powerful that the police have not hurled them before courts because they as well as Mabhiza are afraid of the MPs who apparently appear to regard their constituencies as though they were their own village courtyards?

Surely these MP's are supposed, like their colleagues, to use every developmental means, such as money from the State, to improve the welfare of their electors and in that way guarantee themselves continued tenure in parliament as the people's representatives?

The question that many responsible citizens must now be asking is for how long will these untouchable bullies remain protected by anonymity while their constituents seek redress for social and economic trials and tribulations that must no doubt be prevalent in their areas as a result of obvious neglect by their parliamentary leaders?

When MPs who make and are supposed for that reason to be guardians of the country's laws appear flagrantly to violate the laws of the land by standing in the way of genuine efforts to verify the expenditure of money, not their own money, but the taxpayer's money provided for the betterment of the lives of the poor, then their rebellious conduct casts a very dark shadow not only on the institutions where they ply their political trade but also on Zimbabwe's image in the eyes of the outside world.

These people deserve to be chucked out of the August House and out of the hearts of those who voted for them so that they may languish in a political wilderness in which only their kind are fit to dwell.