Tsvangirai syas he is concerned about the nation's Health System and the condition of services of the health workers. “I am aware that your conditions of service still leave a lot to be desired,” Tsvangirai said. “But you cannot have a better trade unionist that me.”
Oh, yah! Just what did you achieved in all years as Secretary General of ZCTU? Nothing; that is what!
For the first tens years of our independence Mugabe attended Workers’ Day celebrations without failure. He would gave his trade-mark rambling two-hour speeches and the workers sat through the mid-morning heat with patience, waiting for the hefty wage increases marking the end of the each speech. Of course the nation did not need Tsvangirai and his ZCTU colleagues then. The employers listened to the speeches with heavy hearts because the pay increases were never tied to increased productivity and, worse still, the regime had imposed tight price controls.
The populist wage policies made Mugabe popular with the ordinary people but did not make any economic sense. It was short-sighted policies like this – there was a whole catalogue of them – that sowed the seed of Zimbabwe’s economic melt down to follow.
By 1990 the national economy was already in serious trouble so much so that Mugabe was forced to abandon many of his socialist policies including his unilateral wage increases for the workers. The workers and the employers were to agree on pay packages. Government also ended its price controls, although this was a measure the regime was to reintroduce again and again later. Ever since the workers have suffered double blow of shrinking wages package and ever increasing prices. The ZCTU, under Sibanda and Tsvangirai’s leadership, agreed on below inflation rate wage increases year after year. With such a pathetic track record only Tsvangirai would be so conceited to boost about it.
Prime Minister Tsvangirai negotiated the GPA with the same mind boggling incompetence he showed during his ZCTU days; the nation has been fighting to end Mugabe’s dictatorial rule and Tsvangirai agreed to give Mugabe all the dictatorial powers. Mugabe responded by kicking Tsvangirai, his MDC party and the nation at large in the teeth; he is a ruthless dictator, what else do you expect! Meanwhile Tsvangirai, with his self assured naivety, continues to pretend Mugabe has change and Zimbabwe is on an “irreversible” path to democratic rule. Tsvangirai has fooled no one; much less the West whom the GNU had hoped would bankroll the economic recovery.
“Sadly, it (the health system) is a far cry from the shining example that it was a few years back. One might say it is itself in the intensive care,” Tsvangirai said.
Mr Prime Minister, it is not just the Health Service that is in IC; the GNU too. Without any meaningful economic recovery, this GNU is doomed.
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