To drive his point home, Biti said with that amount Zimbabwe could construct the much-needed electric railway line from Gweru to Bulawayo. The benefits, in the form of employment and business that could be generated by the rail track for the bankrupt National Railways of Zimbabwe and companies moving their goods, are too numerous to mention.
But these benefits can only remain a pipedream if government continues to waste resources on unnecessary and unhelpful trips abroad. Biti’s revelation merely confirms what is in the public domain. Since the beginning of the year, President Robert Mugabe has undertaken trips to Asia that have drained an already overburdened fiscus. He is reported to have demanded as much as US$3 million from treasury each time he has gone abroad.
Mugabe has also commandeered Air Zimbabwe to fly him to Asia even when pilots were on strike. This year alone, Mugabe has gone to Singapore a record seven times, allegedly to seek medical attention. Apart from these personal trips, Mugabe has also travelled to international meetings with bloated delegations.
For observers, it defies logic that Mugabe needs to be accompanied by 100 officials to attend a United Nations meeting in New York. These officials, from both Zanu PF and the MDC parties, get hefty allowances for accompanying the President.
In light of Biti’s appeal, MPs need to tell cabinet in no uncertain terms that money wasted on useless trips abroad could be better channelled to more needy sectors such as health, housing and food procurement for millions facing starvation.
The MPs should also amend the Public Finance Management Act so that a powerful budget office is able to monitor government expenditure.
They should go the extra mile and make it illegal for the President or any government official to abuse public resources through making personal trips abroad.Travelling abroad should be regulated and only be limited to crucial meetings. And it should be subject to availability of funds.
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Quote of the week
Let us work for a culture of peace and non-violence and let us take this message to our provinces and districts and the people will welcome that,” President Mugabe addressing Zanu PF central committee last week.
