The prevailing haywire under the political tutelage of President Emmerson Mnangagwa, as indicated by the languishing economy, strikes, protests and headway efforts by the government, has prompted the church to say that the country is in the least fascinating space socially and economically, even worse than when former President Robert Mugabe was around.
In a statement entitled Do Not be Heartless, Church Cautions Government – released amid the government and junior doctors showdown – Christian advocacy organisation that expedites the Church’s visibility and audibility on matters of governance, Zimbabwe Divine Destiny (ZDD), said that Pres. Mnangagwa’s government continues to exhibit utter neglect, incompetence and lack of nationalism.
The full statement reads:
“President Mnangagwa’s government continues to exhibit utter neglect, incompetence and lack of nationalism as the economy is free-falling further subjecting people to intolerable poverty levels.
Our politicians do not have national pride at all. They are the least patriotic. Their words and statement are not backed by action whatsoever. They talk of new dispensation and yet the reality on the ground indicates the opposite.
Zimbabwe is in a worse chaotic state than when their predecessor Mugabe was around, not, of course, implying he was any better.
Firstly, we went into the holidays with a serious health crisis as doctors embarked on an industrial action with clear demands among them, that there were not enough apparatus to use in hospitals as well as the absence of medicines for patients.
Their conditions of service have for years been deteriorating leading to the downing of tools which is every workers’ right. Any employer worth their salt will do their best to strike a deal through negotiations but our “new” government which prides itself as being people-oriented, descended harshly and pronounced dismissal.
How can government fire 500 doctors when our health system is in a comatose? What kind of leadership is this?
Vice President Chiwenga and entire Mnangagwa government have no moral basis whatsoever to fire striking doctors. Is it not a public secret that they do no use local medical services as exhibited by the countless trips they take outside Zimbabwe for treatment even for medical conditions that can be dealt with locally but NO! They would rather be treated in South Africa, India etc. They fly out at the click of a button while the nation has to do with understaffed hospitals, unresourced clinics.
This is gross irresponsibility? Do not evoke the Hippocratic Oath on the doctors, if you cannot be held accountable to the oath you swore to, as you entered office as the presidium of this nation. You equally have an obligation to ensure excellent medical care and good living standards for your subjects, and if you cannot do that, apply the same rule to yourselves.
You cannot have your cake and eat it. We say to Cde Chiwenga and other Zanu Pf leaders, please do not fire the people’s doctors, yours are in foreign countries. These doctors are Zimbabwean for Zimbabwean people not for those who stay here, take money from here and support health institutions of other countries No! That’s not comradeship, there is no nationalism there and such attitudes speak volumes of your unpatriotic character.
Furthermore, the recent statement that all other facets of the society, including NGOs, Churches, political parties etc, must not intervene cum interfere in the ongoing health crisis is totally uncalled for and is symptomatic of this government’s repressive style.
If you do not want other democratic legitimate organs including independent persons to discuss suggest and offer advice and solutions, employ international best practice and show a human face in your dealings with fellow citizens.
Secondly, it is this Zanu Pf’s age-old profligacy and misgovernance that have killed the health sector by underfunding and abusing it at worst. We still question the wisdom of prioritising Defence budget ahead of Health Sector. Is this nation in a state of war where Defence’s appetite for further funding remains top priority?
Is it not the ailing health sector that is under siege and in dire need of urgent repair through adequate funding? Are these not the critical social concerns that anyone bragging about new dispensation would rush to address?
We will as the church, without neither fear nor favour, exercise our godly mandate as watchmen over God’s subjects including those in authority, caution unreservedly that your neglect and insensitivity to people’s suffering have gone too far.
You cannot afford a holiday Cde Mnangagwa in the middle of a crisis where no one had a decent holiday at all.
Bread price has increased significantly in the last three months. Fuel queues have become a permanent feature. Teachers and nurses’ call for better working conditions have gone unattended. Bank queues are not a bother to you anymore. Bus fares over the holidays were unbearable and have continued with no solution in sight.
Currently, parents cannot afford to adequately fund their children’s’ education needs owing to inexplicable uniform, books and fees price increase, yet surprisingly there is no sign nor indication from the government that this is indeed a growing concern.
Generally, the cost of living under your “new dispensation” continues to soar high and none of you seems eager to sincerely seek a solution to this unfolding horror except to pile misery upon misery.
And lastly to the church, if our prayer and fasting season is going to be of any spiritual value in 2019 in accordance with Isaiah 58, then we need to clearly take a position regarding the future of this nation and our relationship with God as we act out what this scripture articulates or risk another powerless routine fasting and prayer season devoid of action and results.’
You can read the PDF version here Presser January (1)
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