|
Biti feels the "disengagement" pinch
COMMENT by our reporter using various sources
Sun, 08 Nov 2009 23:21:00 +0000
|
|
|
THE Minister of Finance, Tendai Biti was the first to recommend "re-engagement" with Zanu PF when he realised that his ministry could not function without Cabinet, sources told this paper.
Biti, who is expected to present a budget soon could not prepare adequately without consulting President Mugabe.
Budget issues are discussed by the Committee on Finance and Economic Affairs, which is convened and chaired by the President.
The deadline for the budget was fast approaching, and President Mugabe had indicated that he would appoint an acting Minister of Finance, most probably from Professor Arthur Mutambara’s party, to take the matter forward.
Biti was said to have told the MDC-T Steering Committee that the boycott was "doing more harm than good to the reputation of the party and would soon undermine my position."
The minister recently lost a battle with Reserve Bank Governor Gideon Gono over the allocation of US$400 million Special Drawing Rights availed to Zimbabwe through the International Monetary Fund (IMF) as a cushion against the global financial crisis.
Biti wanted the SDR to be used to spruce up Zimbabwe's foreign currency reserves; but Governor Gono wanted the money allocated to industry, agriculture and public utilities. Cabinet agreed that Governor Gono's recommendations were the most logical.
The finance minister was said to be livid over the decision made by Cabinet; but could not do anything as all government decisions are made by Cabinet, not a single minister.
Biti also chairs the Cabinet Committee on Inputs. According to sources in Harare, Biti called the Minister of Agriculture, Mechanisation and Irrigation Development, Dr Joseph Made, for a meeting and made several calls to the President to discuss these issues, but on both occasions, was told that the framework for re-engagement was not in place.
Biti is said to have panicked that he was left powerless by the "disengagement" and hence had to find a way back in to influence Government policy.
The MDC-T party is said to have gone to Maputo for the Sadc Troika summit as a formality. The party had already decided to re-engage with Zanu PF before the summit.
|
|
ADVERTISEMENT
ARTICLE ATTACHMENTS
|
|
 |
|
n/a • n/a
Subject: n/a
Mon, 09 Nov 2009 21:09:09 • So Biti actually thought he could do his kiya-kiya business outside of cabinet. Just goes to show that MDC-T has no clue on how govt works.ZANU INITONGA , you cannot be serious to suggest that MDC-T should implement strong policies. MDC-T has no policies at all of its own. The party is only carrying out whatever policies Washington and London dictate. Have you not noticed how MDC-T is trying to impose a neo-liberal economic model that has been a disaster in the West?
n/a • n/a
Subject: n/a
Mon, 09 Nov 2009 20:49:16 • The disengagement by MDC-T has done irreparable damage to the party and to Tsvangirai's reputation in particular. Disengaging from the govt because of a well known Selous Scout like Bennett was not a wise move.How can the MDC-T hope to win the hearts and minds of the electorate when the party has shown without a shadow of a doubt that the welfare of Bennett is more important to the party than the suffering of the majority of Zimbabweans?
ZANU INITONGA • masimbah2000@hotmail.com
Subject: You should have seen this.
Mon, 09 Nov 2009 18:07:17 • Its a sad ending to the disengagenent. MDC came back and they should realise now there is no time for cheap politics.
Being in GVT means working together and impliment policies. Otherwise the power went with disengagement.
And good for the MDC to know the age of pulling out is no more. They should grow up and agree to disagree while in there, that's the beauty of democracy.
They should not ask Zanu PF to be democratic, but lead ZANU to democracy through strong policies. They must use this chance to make an impact on Zimbabwe's political scene by changing it to the good.This may be there only chance when ZANU are at their worst and can only rise now because of MDC's ineptness.
It should be time to win the hearts and minds and the damage done by the pull out well, is not repairable.They need to act as leaders and not the opposition any more.
Zimbabwe deserves better than the MDC.
|
SUBMIT YOUR OPINION
Please make sure you fill in all sections for your post to be submitted. Use n/a if not submitting details. The submission code below is case-sensitive. Also make sure you get confirmation that your comment has been submitted.
|
| |
|
|
|
|
| PICTURE GALLERY |
|
| |
