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To achieve what, Cde Chombo?

Editorials
It appears Ignatius Chombo is not ashamed at all to expose himself for his rabid anti-MDC-T stance.

It appears Ignatius Chombo is not ashamed at all to expose himself for his rabid anti-MDC-T stance.

NewsDay Editorial

His behaviour over the years that the opposition party has been in charge of urban local authorities, has clearly shown that he is out to sabotage whatever programme the party may have — no matter how plausible.

It is very difficult to identify a single MDC-T idea, project or policy that Chombo has agreed with, no matter how manifestly positive these may be, how useful or successful they may later prove to be. It seems his key result area as Local Government minister, when it comes to local authorities run by the MDC-T party, is to blast them.

Where he has his way, Chombo will fire them; or where opportunity appears to arise, seek to criminalise them and get them jailed. Several have been saved by the courts after Chombo had wanted to kick them out of their jobs or have them imprisoned without cause.

Just like a traffic cop would not fail to find defect on a vehicle if he chooses to nit-pick, Chombo has found faults with MDC-T officials and fired a lot of mayors and councillors across the country for misdemeanours which, if compared to what Zanu PF councillors before them did, would make the MDC-T so-called corrupt or incompetent officials look like angels.

The colour of Chombo’s hatred of Tsvangirai’s party is most effectively made bare by his acrid relationship with his outgoing deputy, Sesel Zvidzai.

Chombo operated Local Government as if Zvidzai did not exist. There was virtually no communication between the two offices, let alone consultation.

Zvidzai got aware of developments within the ministry from the media, only to come out expressing surprise or reacting to the minister’s dismissal of officials from his party.

It must have been a big pain for Zvidzai to work with such a character. He could not be regretting having to be finally rid of him.

Now, it does not matter; the MDC-T is effectively down and out — having lost the July polls — but a vindictive Chombo is still determined to add salt to the wound — never mind in defiance of the law. He wants to dislodge Tsvangirai’s choice for mayors in the cities of Harare, Chitungwiza and Bulawayo — not because there is anything wrong with these individuals, but because the MDC-T and Tsvangirai prefer them.

Chombo is prepared to stick his neck out on the legal stake, to embarrass himself and put his reputation, integrity and all into question — just so he can prove to a fallen MDC-T party that he is the boss — as if there was anybody in doubt, given that he is the minister responsible for Local Government.

This magnitude of arrogance and vindictiveness makes the human mind numb to the shame that should accompany such ungodly behaviour as daylight robbery, corruption, national plunder and other crimes of governance.