Squabbling officials at the PMO

Unfortunately, this is not the only PM living with such a hornet's nest so close to her seat. Every head of government (HOG) before her lived with a similar situation. With this PM, because of the nature of the individuals in question, the squabbles have come to public attention. In fact, there is a public perception that while the HOG and party changes, the people who serve and have served the HOGs from day one of establishment of that office, have not changed. They have all demonstrated one unique quality; to be able to create a solid wall between the HOG and the rest of the government and the people.

No one would argue that a PM needs a secretariat to assist her running the government. But what is important in this set-up is to realise the needs of the PMO and their powers and functions. Ours is a parliamentary government. This means that the PM with her ministers are responsible to the people through parliament. The PM in this system of government is first among equals and the ministers enjoy a great deal of power and responsibility. Their approach to the PM therefore should not go through any scrutiny at the PMO except clerical and administrative. Unfortunately, in our system the PM's secretariat works as a parallel government and just not that; it supersedes the functions of the ministries in terms of recommendations placed before the PM. What actually happens in the PM's office is that except those files that are routine, ministers have to nurture favours of the people at the PM's secretariat to get their files placed before the PM for her decision .

It is therefore no wonder that the people at the PMO have emerged so powerful. And as it happens with all bastions of powers raised illegally, cliques arise at the PMO among those who now have fallen apart because they are unable to manage the cake they have acquired illegally and distribute it to everyone's satisfaction; everyone at the PMO that is.

The officials must only provide to the PM secretarial assistance and nothing more. As for the political secretaries, they should be told forthwith that their advises are to be restricted only to political matters and on no occasion to the actual workings of the ministries. The PM needs to do this quickly so that she does not suffer the consequences that all her predecessors did.