Zimbabwe Guardian
Terry Mufambi ― Opinion
27 February 2009
DEAR EDITOR – Mr Nelson Chamisa was a regular interviewee on media outlets in the United Kingdom before he was Minister of Information Communications Technology (ICT). I am concerned that he still features on programs threatening that the MDC-T party will move out of the inclusive Government if certain demands of his party are not met.
By virtue of being minister, Mr Chamisa should now view himself, not as an opposition leader anymore, but as part of Government.
Some of us saw him being sworn in by President Mugabe and therefore is part of the inclusive Government.
I am sure, as a member of the Cabinet there are procedures in which grievances can be aired. Playing to the gallery will not help Mr Chamisa, especially as many of his threats in the past have not amounted to anything.
I think those leaders who are now in the Cabinet should conduct themselves accordingly. Criticizing and mocking the Minister of Media, Information and Publicity (MIP), Mr Webster Shamu in public is immature and ill-advised.
He was recently on SW Radio saying that he knows more about ICT than people in the MIP Ministry. This is not language that should be used by national leadership. It sets a bad precedent for Chamisa and reinforces the concerns of people who felt that he was not skilled enough for the post in the first place.
As a fellow Cabinet member, Mr Chamisa should try and resolve some of these issues away from the media – in Cabinet; or allow the Prime Minister to resolve them.
Likewise, Prime Minister Tsvangirai cannot govern through the media. Discussing who was responsible for what in the Chamisa-Shamu saga was ill-advised. These are issues that can easily be resolved behind the scenes.
Cabinet ministers should not be quick to run to the media whenever there are problems in Government. Trying to govern, and effect change, through the media will become counter-productive if these new ministers are not careful.
Already the MDC-T party is facing a lot of pressure for not fulfilling promises they made before going into Government; viz, the release of people charged with banditry, the promise to release former white farmer Roy Bennett from prison, etc. Some of these issues are better handled in Cabinet and require a high level of diplomacy.
I am not encouraging ministers to be evasive and to hide matters of public interest from the media; but calling a press conference to nullify the appointment of Permanent Secretaries is counter-productive. The MDC-T has already put itself in a corner several times. They should accept that they have accepted to go into the inclusive Government, and hence should behave as members of a Government system, not as opposition leaders.
What will happen if President Mugabe does not reverse the appointments and all threats by the MDC-T fall by the wayside? We look forward to the outcome of their meeting today on the issue of Permanent Secretaries.
In conclusion, let me take this opportunity and commend, Senator David Coltart for the sterling work he is putting in. His vast experience as a lawyer and negotiator is truly being put to good use.
Terry Mufambi ― Opinion