Honourable minister Fortune Chasi, on behalf of the general citizenry we thank and commend you for doing the honourable thing matching up to your befitting title by firing the Zimbabwe Electricity Supply Authority (Zesa) board.
The board had made headlines with their scandals after the scandalous forensic audit made its way into the public domain exposing the massive rot which was being harbored at the power utility company resulting in the loss of millions of dollars.The board had tried very hard to conceal the report without putting it into good use by following up on the recommendations that had been put forward.
There is no doubt that our country would be steered in the right direction if other cabinet ministers emulate your stance on issues to do with corruption.
We are indeed happy and hopeful, but the night is still very dark and gloomy as you have only taken but one step towards ensuring that the power utility is snatched from the jaws of a corrupt and self serving board hopefully awaiting to be put in the hands of a much more deserving one.
The main worry at this point is whether you will live up to our expectations as a nation and deliver Zesa into the hands of a competent board, a board that will put the interests of the company first.
The biggest task in your court at this particular point is the replacement of the board. We, the masses have high expectations as we await to see you vigorously select and appoint men and women of calibre who are ready to face the rampant corruption at the company head on.
The people do not expect to see the recycling of dead logs as has become a norm in the country. There has to be a complete reshuffle which will see new and younger faces getting a chance based on their professional and academic qualifications and achievements not as a result of nepotism or political affiliations.
Honorable, you should break away from the tradition of making board appointments a ‘job for the boys.’ Take into consideration gender balances and add in a sprinkle of young capable blood to ensure the continuation of institutional memory and override the general assession by other ministers that the youthful guys have to experience.
Create a new norm in governance.