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Cde Khaya Moyo

The introduction of a performance appraisal system by Zanu-PF for its legislators who made it into the Eighth Parliament compelling them to submit quarterly reports of their performance to the party to ensure the revolutionary party fulfils its promises to the electorate is a welcome development which has been long overdue.

Zanu-PF national chairman Cde Simon Khaya Moyo in our edition on Tuesday said the party’s Presidium did not want to disappoint as well as let go the mandate it received from the people and wants every MP to be accountable to the people who gave the party the massive victory on July 31.

It is a fact that Members of Parliament are there to push the legislative agenda in Parliament but over and above this critical role, it is imperative in the Zimbabwean context and Africa at large that they play a pivotal role in spearheading development in the constituencies they represent.

The constituents believe MPs are there to bring development to constituencies hence they vote out those who would have failed. They don’t care that legislators’ primary mandate is to make laws. To them, making laws is not important.

If one were to ask the electorate, especially those in the rural areas what they expect from their MP, they would boldly say they want to see developmental projects in their constituencies.

It is a fact that seasoned legislators have realised that if they do not promise development during their campaigns then they would be unpopular among the electorate.

It is against this backdrop that legislators should strive to adequately represent their areas as it is assumed they are well apprised of challenges obtaining in those particular places for them to map out the development agenda.

One cannot just wait for Treasury allocation to develop their area. Zanu-PF has scored a first by introducing the appraisal system because in the past, some of the former MPs embarrassed the revolutionary party as they abandoned the people soon after obtaining their mandate to represent them in the august House, only to re-emerge with a few handouts to pacify the people after five years when an election beckons.

No wonder in some instances, the electorate has deliberately changed the actual meaning of the abbreviation of MP from “Member of Parliament”  to “Missing Person”.

It is for that reason that some bigwigs have fallen by the wayside during the party’s primary elections.
With the new appraisal system, the honey moon is over for lazy legislators and it is no longer business as usual because the party is now insisting on results-based performance since the people’s vote should not go down the drain.

While it is a fact that legislators are not given huge sums of money at Parliament for development projects in their constituencies, they should initiate funding on their own to ensure they develop their areas. The Constituency Development Fund was a noble idea which was abused and we hope the new legislators will put it to good use if it is retained by the new Government.

If they fail to do that during the tenure of Parliament then they may as well kiss goodbye to the third arm of Government.
As the party implements this critical agenda on the ground, it is imperative that the legislators, as indicated by the revolutionary party should come up with Specific, Measurable, Acceptable and  Attainable, Relevant and Time-bound (SMART) objectives that should be implemented quarterly.
The mandate given to President Mugabe and Zanu-PF in the recently held harmonised elections must never be betrayed as it re-affirms the people of Zimbabwe’s love for the party that liberated them from shackles of colonialism, imperialism and recently neo-imperialism.

About 70 percent of Zimbabwean population is based in rural areas and lately on farms, making it critical for the legislators in these areas to ensure that all tools are unleashed to ensure development for the benefit of the people is attained.

The rural feeder roads have been neglected for over a decade as the country grappled with the effects of the devastating illegal sanctions, while Rural District Councils and the District Development Fund had no capacity to maintain rural infrastructure.

The health delivery system is facing collapse in most rural areas with villagers walking up to 15 kilometres to the next health centres, which at times will be poorly stocked with drugs, thanks to the Western-sponsored sanctions.

It is our hope that working with the newly established Provincial Councils in the country’s 10 administrative  provinces, the legislators would ensure that some district councils are capacitated to make sure that they deliver services.

The new Zanu-PF legislators who took over the reins from outgoing MDC-T legislators should ensure that money unveiled through the Constituency Development Fund is properly accounted for and the Government should ensure that the abusers are brought to book.

However, some rural development projects such as the rehabilitation of schools and dip tanks at times do not need a lot of money since the villagers themselves are willing to participate in development of their communities for free through donating their labour. What is needed are legislators who are able to rally the people in accomplishing community projects.

People want to take ownership of their projects by leading initiatives that transform their communities and not to be fed with some prescriptions from elsewhere. The majority of villagers through community leadership are willing to mould bricks for the construction of schools and clinics as well as rehabilitate boreholes and dip-tanks for free as they have charismatic leaders.

Many villagers in our communities are no longer interested in food handouts. Government-initiated poverty alleviation projects such as food for work projects should be used to develop community owned infrastructure.

The graduates of the National Youths Service and building brigades should be revamped and motivated to work for their communities without expecting huge rewards.

It is our hope that as Zanu-PF consolidates the victory, the incoming MPs should not disappoint the leadership and supporters who worked so hard to ensure victory on July 31.

The new legislators should not sit on their laurels, as the enemy will not rest but continues to find sinister ways of dividing the people of Zimbabwe. Unproductive MPs should be shown the door during the next election so that it sends a clear message to the legislators that Zanu-PF is a no nonsense party.

After all, legislators are the face of the President and the party in the constituencies. If a legislator fails, he or she fails the party and the President.