Correspondent|Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front youth leader Pupurai Togarepi today threatened to name and shame public officials and government ministers who are sabotaging President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s economic recovery programme.
Writing in the Herald Togarepi said there were some senior civil servants who were living in luxury forgetting why they were in government who were making reckless statements that tarnished the thinking in ZANU-PF or Mnangagwa.
“Yes, there are some public officials we are not even proud to associate with as the ZANU-PF Youth League, these people are in the habit of starting fires that they cannot douse, these people, soon, we will name and shame them and ask the party to recall them from whatever posts they are basking in,” he said.
Togarepi called on government ministers to update the nation on what they were doing as Mnangagwa had publicly stated that “we must no longer merely survive, now is the time for us to blossom, thrive and prosper as a nation, as a people”.
“We would like to call ministers, and other stakeholders in key sectors of the economic, be it service delivery or economic players to open up and appraise the nation on the progress they have made if any, and the challenges they face in executing their roles.
“It is trite that the party is supreme to government, but, and worryingly so, some civil servants view the party with disdain and a condescending attitude, forgetting that they are in a ZANU-PF government.
“We challenge ministers to open up, just as ‘Zimbabwe is Open for Business’ and periodically inform the nation through various forms of the media what they will be doing, their failures and success.
“We want accountability in all sectors and that should start in ministries that remain closed to public scrutiny and engagement even when the President himself is accessible.”
Togarepi said that the following sectors and players should update the nation periodically:
Energy in particular fuel sector
Food sector industry
Monetary Authorities
Transport
Information
Parliament
Anti-Corruption
Justice System
“Our people deserve better from all public and private institutions as both are designed to serve the people of Zimbabwe not the other way round. Some pronounce policies that are inconsistent with the President’s thrust to turn around the economy while others have become saboteurs to the President’s vision. That must stop now,” he said.
Togarepi said all those who receive foreign currency from the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe should be audited and the results must be publicised.
Those who abuse the foreign currency allocation scheme should go to jail and banned from future allocations.
All those breaking the country’s laws should be brought to book. Violent characters and sponsors of anarchy should face the full wrath of law. Non-governmental organisations sponsoring regime change should be banned immediately.
“We cannot continue to be romantic with those interfering with our politics, leaving their mandate,” he said.
“We would like to see all corrupt elements at whatever level going to jail whatever their social standing. Parliament should also play its part and enact laws that protect the general public from economic saboteurs. We do not expect double standards from parliamentarians and any corrupt legislator has no role in the august House, but rather a place in Chikurubi.
“The time to confront those working against the President’s vision is now. We want answers now otherwise these purveyors of doom will destroy the hope created by the New Dispensation.”