IS THIS DEMOCRACY

Cde ignitious Chombo.

The Zimbabwean minister for local governance cde Ignitious Chombo have said that should council pass a resolution that he deems unfit or not in the public interest, he retains the to cause its suspension.

This sentiment has grabbed my attention and I have decided to share an insight in regard to this.

Zimbabwe claims to be a democratic country. Democracy entails that there is rule by law not individuals. Secondly democracy is a people driven type of governance. As such the sentiments by the minister of local governance raise concerns on whether Zimbabwe is really a democratic country.

Councilors are voted into office by the public. This means that the people who voted them in are the ones that must also remove them from their offices through free and fair elections. So the minister has no power what so ever to cause suspension of councilors.

The effect of the power that the minister is claiming to have is that the councilors will just try to serve the interests of the minister so as to keep their offices. Thus the public interest suffers.

Moreover, the minister, who is he to determine what is in the public interest and what is not? What criteria does he use to say that this is public interest and this is not? Is it documented somewhere or he can just wake up one day and decide according to his feelings of the day.

The public themselves retain the power to determine what is in their interest. This can only be done through elections in which the public decide whether to remove someone from office or to keep them. Let democracy prevail and do not put personal or partisan feelings into governance.

For further reference refer to our world leader.com/Zimbabwe. www.ourworldleader.com
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