Tsvangirai: We will Find Corrupt Officials and Prosecute

PRIME Minister Morgan Tsvangirai spoke for the first time on Tuesday about the pillaging of State resources by senior government officials particularly ahead of the formation of the inclusive government, calling for sterner action by Parliament against those found on the wrong side of the law.

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Addressing the second session of the Seventh Parliament of Zimbabwe the premier made a veiled threat on corrupt government officials who reap where they did not sow and pledged to fully support efforts by the august House to introduce transparency and accountability in government.
Mildred Chiri, the Comptroller and Auditor-General, released a damning report recently highlighting the abuse of State resources by senior government officials before the formation of the inclusive government.
The report unearthed instances where some public officials took away government vehicles without authority, including other assets such as computers and laptops.
It also revealed instances where some individuals drew as much as 5 000 litres of fuel per month.
Although Chiri did not disclose the names of the culprits, the report has brought to the fore the massive exploitation of public funds and assets by their custodians.
Finance Minister Tendai Biti became the first government official to comment on the report. Biti promised to take Chiri’s report for discussion to Cabinet.
But on Tuesday, the Prime Minister, weighed in. He said where State resources have been misallocated, misspent or misappropriated those responsible should be brought to book by Parliament.
“In this you will have my full support. I myself stand ready to be challenged or questioned by Parliament at any time. And I expect, and will direct, all of our Ministers to do the same,” he said.
The Movement for Democratic Change (MDC-T) leader said Parliament must continue to fulfill its role of holding the government to account.
“No persons in Zimbabwe should consider themselves, nor act, above scrutiny or accountability. As the leader of government business in Parliament, I will strive to make government accountable,” he said.
“The people of Zimbabwe rightly expect you, their representatives, to investigate, question and challenge their government. Every public official — whether a Minister, a policeman or a civil servant — who has broken the law, acted corruptly or simply incompetently — must respect the supremacy of this House,” he added.
The MDC-T president who is responsible for both policy formulation and policy implementation in the inclusive government also took the opportunity to unveil what he called the Government’s Work Programme for the fiscal year 2010.
He said under his watch, the government will instill budgetary discipline within the government and introduce greater accountability and fiscal rigour among all ministries.
Tsvangirai outlined the five priorities of government as: to promote economic growth and ensure food security, to guarantee basic services and infrastructural development, to strengthen and ensure the rule of law and respect for property rights, to advance and safeguard basic freedoms and re-establish international relations.
“Already, in line with our first priority, this government has put in place an agricultural inputs scheme to benefit communal farmers with the kind assistance of non governmental organisations and international donors,” he said.
“Over the past two months, we have also turned these government priorities and objectives into measurable targets, to which we will commit ourselves as a government. Learning lessons from the past 10 months, the Ministries have been working with my office to produce targets that will meet the following criteria: They will reflect all the inclusive government’s priorities, including, for example, the commitments contained in the Global Political Agreement; The targets will be SMART — that is, Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Time-bound; and These SMART targets flow naturally from the objectives, which in turn flow from the five priorities I just outlined. Together, these priorities, objectives and targets form the basis of the Government’s Work Programme.”
The premier said the Government’s Work Programme will form the basis for the legislative agenda, which, after it has been approved by the Council of Ministers and Cabinet, he will present to Parliament early in the new year.
“I see this partnership (between executive and legislature) as a combination of ‘push’ and ‘pull’: with me pushing and you pulling the government at all levels,” he added.

Written By: Brian Mangwende, News Editor
Fin Gaz

Abel says:

December 7, 2009 at 8:07 am

Though i dont support this guy, sometimes i feel ashamed on his behalf,ndomunyarira. One moment saying this, the next doing thsat. He says he will prosecute but does nothing.zanu says nothing but prosecutes his people. What does that tell you? At times silence is golden at the level Morgan has reached. Leave the chattering to us simpletons.

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Dzimai Moto says:

December 7, 2009 at 9:41 am

Abel if you love Zimbabwe you will admit that it is wrong to steal. The country can be broke by theft. its only that you are playing politics.

December 7, 2009 at 10:47 am

And where did I say it was right to steal? You left me dumbfounded.
Theories are abound in Zimbabwe opposition politics but its concrete action on the ground that is lacking.Those who are good at acting (Zanu) do not necessarily act on behalf of all the people unfortunately.

Simbimbino says:

December 8, 2009 at 2:05 pm

Mazezuru say: “Gudo guru peta muswe vaduku vakutye”. I suppose Tsvangi means well, but there is absolutley no clout to what he says. It is insinuated that they will FIND corrupt officials, meaning that they have to look for them first, handiti? What a load of nonsense and bollocks, there is no need to LOOK FOR, HUNT DOWN OR TRACT corrupt officials, Gushungo himself bloody (no pun intended) stole the election!! And he is right in front of you! Chihuri repeatedly “fails” to arrest perpetraitors of political crime, the AG, m’dara Tomani; never fails to dismisses all cases of ZANU activists and war vets and the so called “Green Bombers” wholesale. What is Tsvangi’s response, to first look for criminals. Goodness gracious me. And Jesus wept. I mean honestly, just how pathetic can one get? He is in bed with the most corrupt official of them all, and the best he can say to us is that he going to look for them first? We cannot make any more excuses for this stupidity.
As PM this man should have the authority to to set up commission and inquiries to gather evidence against, which is blatantly awash, these perpetraitors. It is not impossible to amass evidence against Chihuri; it is as easy as asking why all the these war vets & youth militia run amock and not brought to book? These war vets & “Green Bombers” will openly tell you that the police cannot arrest them because the police have been instructed by the “Shefu” i.e Chihuri, not to arrest them. So, all of you Tsvangirai apologists, what the hell is this imbecile talking about “looking” for corrupt officials. Makasunga Chihuri, manyemwe ese ema-war vets nema-green bomber anopera. But you guys are in denial, and continuously refuse to admit that 1) Tsvangi is grossly incompetent, 2) The man is NOT decisive and cannot exercise his own initiative, and 3) He has NO REAL POWER, and now that he has been suckered into this meaningless GPA/GNU, he WILL look the monumental fool he is if he pulls out. So MDC-T and it’s supporters resort to blaming Gushungo for not playing fair, wake up, he never has and never will, so what on earth makes you think he is going to start doing so now? Zvikaramba toyedzwa zvimwe, we have tried Tsvangi, and that has failed, so maybe it’s Thoko’s or Tendai’s turn? That is what I would call true democracy, giving others a chance and listening to the will of the people. I now, unreservedly believe, IF the people wholly believe Tsvangi will lead them to the promised land, they deserve what they get, which is this endless wandering in the wilderness and thick darkness.
I mean even Moses who led the people out of Egypt did not enter the promised land (yes even though it was for a totally different reason) but at least got to see it, he passed on the legacy to someone else. Nyaya dzekusada kubva pachigaro chekutonga is what brought us here, it’s happening all over again right under our noses with this idiot.
Simbimbino out.

December 8, 2009 at 2:16 pm

If it were Abel saying that, he would be labelled a you know what. Morgan is not the type to remove Gushungo, he was at the right place at the right time. Ironically it was Gushungo who made him start all this nonsense of opposition,I suppose he knew what he was doing.