THE Second Republic will serve Zimbabweans diligently to ensure higher standards of living, Vice President Kembo Mohadi said yesterday when he convened a high-level meeting with ministers and deputy ministers from the social services cluster which falls under his purview.
He charged them to further policies and programmes that see the betterment of Zimbabweans’ livelihoods since the general citizenry was expectant of deliverables from the Second Republic.
“The President says and I quote: ‘Together, with love and unity, we will reach the promised land, we will build the Zimbabwe we all want, brick upon brick’.
“The high level meetings convened by His Excellency all point to the need to serve our people diligently and honestly. We must appreciate we owe the offices we occupy to the citizens of Zimbabwe. They expect us to deliver on our promises.”
VP Mohadi convened the meeting, held at Munhumutapa Building in Harare, following the first sitting of Cabinet this year at State House on Tuesday. He urged ministers in the social services cluster to work together as more would be achieved by maintaining a united front than with individualism.
Those who make up the cluster are the Ministry of Youth Empowerment, Development and Vocational Training; Ministry of Sports, Recreation, Arts and Culture; Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education; Ministry of National Housing and Social Amenities: Ministry of Information, Communication, Technology, Postal and Courier Services; Ministry of Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage; Ministry of Local Government and Public Works; Ministry of Higher and Tertiary Education, Innovation, Science and Technology; Ministry of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare; and the Ministry of Women Affairs, Community, Small and Medium Enterprises Development.
The general citizenry, said VP Mohadi, was concerned about service delivery and was not interested in squabbles among ministers.
“I wish to observe that, despite the differences in your mandates, because you are from different ministries, the people we lead are least concerned about such differences. All they require from us is the delivery of services, the services which can improve their lives. Together, we will make a difference that matters for the people we lead,” he said.
The Presidium, said VP Mohadi, had seen it fit to cluster ministries of closely related functions. This would promote an integrated approach to governance and would ensure effective service delivery for Zimbabweans.
“As your leadership, we saw the relevance of bringing together ministries of closely related functions and operations to promote an integrated approach to governance.
“This has resulted in improved planning by Government, as ministries have the opportunity, through clustering, to share views on common issues in their areas of responsibilities.
“Clustering also enhances the decision-making process in Government. Furthermore, clustering results in effective service delivery, for the people,” he said.
VP Mohadi directed the ministers to be action-oriented rather than just sending people from one office to another.
“Ministers and deputy ministers, there is this culture of ours which I find abhorrent, of just referring people from one office to the other, without any results at all.
“Let us desist from this culture. We cannot have our people moved from pillar to post. Our people need genuine assistance from us. Where you cannot offer anything, please say so; let others with the calling do it.
“We owe these positions we hold to the people and those who appointed us. Please let us not betray their trust in us,” he said.
VP Mohadi went on to urge the ministers to be professional in all their dealings especially towards each other.
“Let me, at this stage, address the issue of contradiction between minister and permanent secretary. You know contradiction is healthy and tolerable at certain levels. But when it becomes antagonistic; it can rob citizens of their rights as we focus on fighting.
“We do not need that kind of behaviour. We are grown-ups! We are mature! Ministers and deputy ministers be warned, let’s learn to tolerate each other and focus on delivery,” said.
“We don’t need war-zones in our ministries. We need each other.”
In turn, the ministers all agreed in unison that they would stand united and implement people-oriented policies and initiatives.
Herald
