BY SILAS NKALA
FORMER Pumula MDC legislator Albert Mhlanga says Members of Parliament (MPs) struggle to implement projects they would have promised the electorate because of Parliament’s bureaucratic system.
Mhlanga made the remarks on Friday during a public lecture held in Bulawayo focusing on political tolerance, violence and policy implementation.
The lecture was organised by the Public Policy and Research Institute of Zimbabwe (PPRIZ).
“You asked that when we promise people on policies around water, electricity, health and jobs and when we get into Parliament, do we forget these promises, no we do not forget,” Mhlanga said.
“I had a chance of being a councillor in the City of Bulawayo. I had a chance to be a deputy executive mayor, I had a chance to be an MP.
“I am not new in making those promises. But your question was what happens when you get there? Local government and central government are run through what we call a committee system; that is killing everything.”
Mhlanga added: “In Parliament, you cannot raise these polices as individuals, but you go through committee and a committee is controlled by the secretariat.
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“If they undermine that policy, it would be very difficult for your proposal to go through. In that committee you would have different levels of education and understanding.
“In a committee of 12 you might have only two people who understand but the rest would be intolerant and violent and would spread their culture in that committee.”
Mhlanga successfully filed his nomination papers as Citizens Coalition for Change candidate for Pumula, but the party leadership rejected his candidature saying he forged the papers.
