WITH the 2023 elections fast approaching, President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s regime will only be judged by deliverables, not promises.
He pledged a lot of things ahead of the 2018 elections and come 2023, the jury will be out with pen and paper ticking what he achieved against what he promised.
It is basic politics that a sitting government is not there to promise, but to implement or deliver and this is how they are judged.
Lack of decisive action has been the biggest let down of authorities, issuing threats and no action being taken.
Prices of basic goods and services have been spiraling out of control and all the government does is ‘note with concern’ and promise or rather threaten action, but in the end nothing is done.
It has become crystal clear that there is a runaway parallel exchange rate which has gone beyond the reach of many.
This is happening right before the eyes of responsible finance authorities without taking decisive action.
All they talk of are “fundamentals”, but to what end or when are they going to help the citizenry in the wake of spiralling exchange rate which has affected several sectors.
The general populace continues to suffer and sink deep in poverty as things go beyond their reach.
Several arrests were made of firms accused of manipulating the forex exchange rates, but the cases have collapsed for lack of evidence owing to incompetence on the part of the supposed investigators.
The government engaged in the commendable roads rehabilitation initiative after years of neglect saw the demise of infrastructure.
However, the project has been hijacked by incompetent contractors and the ministry of transport has for long been threatening to take action.
This is becoming a monotonous hymn by the minister yet his ministry’s reputation and that of the government is at stake.
A king does not hold his sword in vain, take action on contractors doing a disservice and producing substandard work.
Some newly constructed roads have already been damaged. Some already paid contractors are failing to complete the projects with set out targets and all that the minister does is to warn them and ends there.
It is high time that the government be decisive to ensure that the lives of many people are improved.