Politicians should focus on uplifting electorate
THE sacking of State Security minister Owen “Mudha” Ncube this week was long overdue. In fact, President Emmerson Mnangagwa was not even supposed to elevate a person known for thuggery and fuelling intra-party violence into a key Cabinet position.
Ncube is Mnangagwa’s long-term acolyte as he has been considered one of the President’s blue-eyed boys in the Midlands province. But the former State Security minister – who oversaw the Central Intelligence Organisation (CIO) — built a bad reputation over the years. Ncube was notorious for allegedly leading violent groups of artisanal miners in the Midlands province.
He was now being too ambitious and angling for the provincial chairmanship ahead of Mnangagwa’s choice — Larry Mavima. Ncube reportedly bused a gang of violent youths to disrupt a Midlands Zanu PF Provincial Coordinating Committee (PCC) meeting. Days later, Ncube was kicked out of Cabinet. The former minister’s unceremonious departure was dramatic. His VIP security was immediately withdrawn. It signalled a shameful end of his cosy relationship with Mnangagwa, himself a shrewd politician.
Ncube’s sudden exit shows that indeed in politics, there are no permanent friends but permanent interests. Mnangagwa moved to protect his interests in the Midlands and in wider political schemes. Zanu PF is going to an elective congress this year and out of the 10 provinces, Mnangagwa wants to ensure he has a firm grip on the chairpersons.
The president also requires a reliable State Security minister as this portfolio plays a key role in both Zanu PF and national elections as Zimbabweans head to polls next year. It is a decisive period in Zanu PF power play as internal squabbles are threatening to split the former liberation movement if the fighting during the recent provincial elections is anything to use as a yardstick.
While the ruling elite consolidates its power bases, it is essential to balance with pursuing economic recovery. The year 2022, will witness electioneering during the forthcoming by-elections and the 2023 elections. But politicians need to serve the interests of the people who elected them into office instead of focusing on political expediency. Corruption has to be dealt with, especially illicit financial flows bleeding the economy. The Financial Action Task Force (FATF) listed Zimbabwe on the Greylist due to non-compliance issues related to AntiMoney Laundering (AML) and Counter Financing of Terrorism (CFT). This week, the FATF team is assessing implementation of relevant reforms. Externalisation of money from Zimbabwe has been a major cause for concern with the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission, RBZ and Zimra forfeiting assets bought through proceeds of crime. It seems the RBZ’s Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) is struggling to plug loopholes.
Government should support the FIU through the latest technology and human capital to deal with complicated financial crimes, otherwise the greylisting by FATF will continue to dent the country’s image.