Irked by the Merc Perk!
March 27th, 2009
What would you have done? Taken the merc, or said ‘no thank you’…?
I hope, faced with the decision that all our new Ministers were faced with – to accept the Mercedes Benz which comes as a ministerial perk or not – that I would have refused.
Senator David Coltart declined his and hats off to him for doing so.
Unfortunately, our enquiries seem to suggest that every other minister accepted theirs – including the new guys, the MDC-T and MDC ministers.
Nelson Chamisa, our youngest Minister at the age of 31, said that, “It’s a symbol of authority and power … If you don’t have it, people will think you don’t have power. They feel good when they see one of their own in power.”
Why stop there Nelson? Why not accept a farm or two as well, wrap your wife in gold and diamonds, and jet around the world after commandeering Air Zim planes? That will really show the poor how much power you have – they’ll be under no illusions who’s the boss then.
By the way, does an E-Class Mercedes come with really big doors, Nelson? I hope so, because if your head keeps growing at this rate it may not be long before you can’t fit it into the car.
Eric Matinenga at least had the grace to be slightly shame-faced when he accepted his. He said, “I know it’s not a good excuse, but will I make a difference if I turn this down?”
You’re right, Eric, its a thoroughly lousy excuse.
As to the question about whether it would have made a difference… perhaps we can help out there. We did a bit of research on the Internet and we estimate that an E-Class Mercedes Benz is worth approximately US$50,000. There are 40 ministers (including Zanu PF) which means the government spent US$2,000,000 on cars while our people are starving and dying from cholera.
How many drips is that? How much mealie-meal does it buy? How many school books? How many prisoners, who are currently receiving no meals and dying of starvation, will that feed? Perhaps one of the Ministers could be kind enough to swish up to the prison in their new E-Class Mercedes Benz and find out and let us know…?
Tendai Biti recently said in Parliament that government revenue was running at US$30 million for March. So these cars seem to represent a spend of nearly 7% of the revenue coming in for that month. The issue here is not how you justify this to yourselves, but how you justify to us, the people, spending 7% of one month’s revenue on luxury vehicles for your goodselves when the majority of Zimbabweans are unemployed and most are depending on outside aid for food.
Furthermore, how can you go to the International Community and bawl about how bad things are, and beg for money, when one of the first things the new government did was take ownership of brand new luxury vehicles. It’s absolutely insane.
We’re only referring to the Ministers cars here; apparently the Deputy Ministers will all receive Pajeros, luxury 4×4 vehicles. The MPs have yet to be given their cars but they will and we don’t know yet what those will be but somehow we doubt they will be no-frills practical vehicles designed to get MPs with bags of maize out to their starving constituents in rural areas! And so the money for cars for an extremely bloated government (one which, incidentally, exceeds the numbers outlined in the Global Political Agreement) piles up and up and up. It’s disgusting. It’s a vulgar insensitive African cliche and I feel ashamed of our new Ministers.
Yes, US$2,000,000 is a drop in the ocean compared to our country’s needs, but its priceless as a gesture of good-faith, as a symbol to the people that this government will be different. The cost is the loss of credibility and diminished respect from the people.
Matinenga said he tried to talk other Ministers into turning theirs down:
“I said, ‘Look, how would we justify getting these luxury vehicles when there is a humanitarian crisis out there? … To my disappointment, we were not able to come up with a single position.”
All I can say is they didn’t try very hard. I hope this is a hiccup, and not the first step on a slippery slope.
March 27th, 2009 16:05
Your outrage is well-founded, Hope. Such behaviour may be an “African cliche”, but it reinforces the view that many of us have that the MDC has yet to demonstrate that they are not cut from the same cloth as ZANU-PF.
March 27th, 2009 17:21
People are watching the MDC very carefully at present, and this is not a good start. If they accept these luxury vehicles, their image will be seriously tarnished..
If any of them auction their Merc, buy a more modest car, and spend the difference on people in need, they would gain great credibility.
March 27th, 2009 18:29
Well, I really don’t know how their consciences allows them to accept those mercs when so many zimbabweans are starving. They should have all sold them, got 2nd hand Japenese cars which are fine and used the money to help those Zimbabweans that are starving and suffering from cholera. They should have used this opportunity to set an example of how the MDC are going to behave going forward!
To say that having a big and expensive car makes you powerful shows the level of compassion and depth of character or lack of – sorry the only thing that makes you powerful is your strength of character. Taking the cars proves their weakness and inability to say no to temptation. It does nothing to show how powerful they are.
Yet another disappointment! Come on MDC – wakeup…you have the power now…use it to support the people who suffered to get you there and the people that you represent!
Be careful you do not slide down the slippery slope of corruption…because taking those mercs is corrupt!
March 27th, 2009 18:31
The greed of power and money is the sure destruction in Africa. How sad that the priorities are so back to front.
March 27th, 2009 19:08
We have all been corrupted somehow. We are a corrupt , shameless bunch of people. Value systems based on principle, if ever they existed, have been torn to shreds in this country. This explains why in the midst of a cholera outbreak whose management is being spearheaded by foreign agencies, we can afford to purchase Mercs 4×4′s,without any shame whatosever. We can afford to warn donors of disastrous consequences if they do not chip in with further funds for our civil servants.
What have we done ourselves to demonstrate that we deserve such assistance?
We need to return to basics as a people.All this is a reflection of who we are and what we stand for.
March 27th, 2009 19:42
If there is no system of accountability in issues of governance, then everyone nomatter how honest becomes corruptible. However where one finds themselves in a system known for its corruption,and in circumstances like zimbabwe requiring sensitivity to the situation on the ground, there lies the need to show an awareness for an alternative system.
March 28th, 2009 00:50
Careful now, Hope, you may very soon be labelled a CIO or a ZANU PF plant who is out to smear the MDC.
Did you not know they are blameless? Did you think that the Prime Minister was refusing to join Mugabe (while saying the Agreement was “sound”) because, amongst other things, he wanted “Ministers of State in the Prime Minister’s Office”?
The operative phrase here is “Power Sharing”. Nowhere in that phrase do you find any hint of a mention of THE PEOPLE.
Still, you must not criticise. Otherwise you are CIO, ZANU PF and Disgruntled Civil Society Activist all in one!!!
March 28th, 2009 01:14
Well done David Coltart!! – these cars are fancier than the UK government uses, and the UK has a smaller cabinet running a much bigger country. As UK Chancellor (Finance minister), just before he became Prime Minister, Gordon Brown had a 4 year old Vauxhall Omega.
The contrast between super-expensive cars and starving people says it all – Zim will get about a billion dollars of free food from the US, UK and friends, yet even democratic Zim ministers think so little of the poverty that they ride in Mercs. This is the image Barack Obama will certainly see. Imagine what he will think – he used to drive a beat up old car and who has spent many years working with Chicago poor ghetto folk, and he does know the corruption of Kenya at first hand!
There is a good safety reason for ministers to have a well-protected car (as Obama now has) , but it doesn’t need to be a new Merc, especially as they seem to be liable to suspiciously rotten tyres.
As a political mistake (let alone a matter of ethics), MDC ministers in Mercs riding past shabby supporters in broken shoes makes Marie Antoinette’s ‘let them eat cake’ remark seem trivial. Again: well done David Coltart!
March 28th, 2009 07:25
David Coltart has made a laudable stand.
It is a question of priorities, and the freedom to choose.
What these other pollies do not seem to realise is that the West sees the self-allocated Mercs and Perks for Zimbabwe’s ministers, yet generously says ‘we’ll keep feeding your starving population despite your obviously differing priorities for re-floating your country. Oh and excuse us if we don’t pour our funds into supporting your priorities, we’d rather stick to our own.’
At last the Western world, some of the same countries who gave Zimbabwe to a terrorist many years ago and bouyed him up, show that are not going to be conned this time around.
MDC ministers, sell your Mercs, feed your people, release the activists, protect the farmers – and THEN squeal to the west for money to help you do the things that need money.
March 28th, 2009 09:55
This is a subject with potential to cause a split in a party at a time when we need their cohesion most: Should we or should we not take part in senatorial elections, should we or should we not get mercs. It was argued by some that to defend their political and democratic space they had to participate in senatorial elections. Some will also now argue that we should get the Mercs to defend our power space in this wretched GNU. AFter all even if they refuse, the other party will take them. These are hard decisions to make bearing in mind that most of those we elected into government may be poor, live in fear or may realise that this is an opportunity not to be missed. It is all a treacherous road. After all the GNU has been breached many times now without much ado.
What we need a constituion that makes our leaders accountable to the people and a people that hold their leaders to account. WE NEED TO START THE PROCESS FOR THAT CONSTITUTION NOW.
March 28th, 2009 11:44
come on guyz… whenever something happens people will always try to find something bad about it…. it seems like yesterday when you were arguing why Prime Minister Tsvangirai didn’t have an escort when his wife died… which escort where you talking about??????? isn’t it the one with the government cars…. if so… then why are you saying they should have refused these cars……. they are different from the rest of us now, and they should be a big difference to show who is in power or not…
i support all this guyz….
March 29th, 2009 20:19
Why are they different from everyone else? Any authority or power they have is given to them, temporarily, by the Zimbabwean people – not by this or that car and not without them proving their legitimacy. Accepting perks like this LESSENS, not increases their authority. It lessens our trust and their legitimacy as representatives of our rights and desires. An ominous start MDC. Cause for concern indeed. In a word, disgusting that they could not use this opportunity to make a break. Thank you David Coltart, what a pity your decision could not set a new norm.
March 31st, 2009 13:41
A suggestion would be to introduce a law which requires that every minister and MP must list his possessions and participations (and his family’s), where they came from, etc. This would be a big prick in the bottom for all who have someting to hide, even if it would not bring any truth about the real level of the possesions of those who are smart enough to hide immaterial assets; but we are speaking about farms and land, which are rather difficult to hide.
A parliamentary commission could do the job. And simply posting this information to the public would already have a huge effect.
It can also be a job for the press, of course. And just plain ordinary people can report what is happening around farms they know.
The aim would be to make those who have stolen something, very unconfortable.
A job for sokwanele?
April 18th, 2009 15:54
Watch out MDC , you will pay heavily for these ,’GOOD FOR NOTHING GESTURES’.The tricks of thieves is to eat with you and squander the hard earned wealth of ZIMBABWE with you then,surprise! Surprise! one day back it up with a saying…….’Let he without sin lift a finger.’Don’t be tainted MDC,remember the clean outstretched hands.Remember if you become bedfellows with thieves and murderers soon you will be like them.MDC please remember your promise to the people.
April 18th, 2009 16:00
I salute you Mr.David Coltart.Please continue to be the light needed in our very DARK country.
April 19th, 2009 21:37
@Takafirei -I dont think our country is dark as you said but sanctions have crippled it and how I wish all people to open their eyes and see beyond the horizon and also look back in our own history. If you do not like someone avoid to put the whole blanket of hate over all. Let us face reality and ask the sanctions to be removed then you can see whether our country remains dark as you call it. Remember it is us who asked for the dark to cover us and now we can not even lift our eyes to look back all we see is dark.
April 20th, 2009 11:00
@ Andrew
I think you’ve been duped. The only sanctions against Zim are the one’s imposed on Mugabe and his cronies. How can this take a whole country down? You seriously don’t think gross mis-management by the 29 year regime played no part?
You need to do some serious reflection, my friend…read some newspapers other than the state-contolled mumbo-jumbo that your local press feeds you.
The western world has been pouring millions and millions in Zimbabwe for many years now, but it simply disappears into that big black hole called Mugabe’s back pocket. Every single one of your elections has been rigged, Mugabe doesn’t allow foreign press there, and only hand-picked foreign observers.
Lifting sanctions won’t solve a thing for the starving masses. The “elite” will just spend more time abroad, and hide more money in foreign bank accounts.
Zimbabwe needs a regime change, and lifting sanctions won’t bring that about.
Andrew, are you sure you country isn’t dark? How many prisons around the world do you know of that have the same conditions as yours? Are you sure sanctions caused this? You don’t think maybe the $250 000 for Mugabe’s birthday bash could have fed those people? You don’t think the money that’s been spent on the Merc Perc could have been used to feed prisoners? You don’t think Bob’s $97 000 Malaysia holiday money could have fed them?
In previous years 40% of Zim’s income was derived from Agriculture, you don’t think maybe the farm invasions that have turned large portions of Zim into barren wasteland, have something to do with this?
Ouch….
As Ozzie said earlier, the government needs to feed your people, release your activists, protect the farmers, THEN squeal to the West for money.
Sorry…no hate here….just an observation.
April 20th, 2009 13:53
@Kathy – I second what you say Kathy. But sadly even the press in SA are using phrases like “Sanctions against Zimbabwe”.
To re-iterate – the sanctions are personalised sanctions. They are directed fairly and squarely at Mugabe and crew – personally & exclusively.
The country is starving, NOT because of santions, BUT because it permitted Mugabe to destroy the sector which made the wealth (& grew the food) – the farmers. Period.
I don’t give a damn who disagrees with me – the proof is already in the pudding and will continue to be. I’d bet my last dollar on it. I have no need to argue my point of view – it is plain for all to see. But “there are none so blind as those who will not see”.