News that huge salary increments continue to be awarded continues to flow out of the press and there must be jubilation out there. The beneficiaries will be like wives who receive flowers as an apology from a husband for errant and undignified behaviour that does not change one iota after the forgiveness.

These are interesting times for Zimbabwe and that is not meant to be interesting in the usual sense of the word. Indeed, the times are trying, exasperating, exacting and pushing the Zimbabweans way in to the wall. Any relief, however temporary, will thus be greeted like the second coming. Except the second coming is still a way off, if reports from the space station are anything to go by. Instead of ululating at this new found generosity that is dished out sparingly and to interest groups, Zimbabweans should instead be asking, what got us here in the first place? For us, in the coloured community that question is a no brainer. We have been shafted by both sides.

For the rest of you, remember that part of the reason why we are where we are now is because of the huge payout that was awarded to young war veterans followed by the adventure in the Congo. While this increase is welcome, the question must be asked: But where is the money going to come from? Does a father in a drought season hand all the food out of the granary to satiate every one’s hunger once and for all? Is that wisdom? By all means, take the increment, you have after worked for it and deserve it. Understand though that this is not the largesse of a political party, it is what is due to you as long suffering civil servants of an inefficient government. If the current government had not deliberately, and in a fit of a ten year long and on-going temper and tantrum, destroyed the economy you would not be in the position you are now. Accepting plasters for wounds that require surgery. The plaster might stem the outflow of blood but it will not save you.

You will have to be far more sighted than that and deal with the source of the wound so that you never have to be this undignified to the point where you only get decent increments at election time, again. Take the money, then vote him out!

This entry was posted on March 17th, 2008 at 10:21 am by James Hall and is filed under Elections 2008, Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.