At the recent National Leadership Retreat, the issue that took center stage was the unexplained delay in implementing many government projects.

Some contractors packed their bags and left midway, others were found to have been poorly designed after implementation had begun, necessitating major changes at an extra cost.

But does it have to take an issue to be raised before the government oversight agencies swing into action?

This week, the Minister for Internal Security was summoned by Parliament to explain the delay in the proposed Mageragere Prison that should have been completed by now.

The minister came out with a surprising statement; funds for the completion of the prison would be allocated in the next financial year! Now the question that quickly comes to mind is; why weren’t the funds allocated this financial year or the previous ones if the prison would have been complete by now?

This is a clear indication that procrastination has been allowed to get entrenched that things get to be done at the last minute, and it usually takes higher intervention for the wheels to go into motion.

This should be a wakeup call to parliament and other bodies with oversight in their mandates: Get out there more often as there must be other Magerageres wallowing in neglect.

It should not take next year’s national retreat to point a finger where things are not moving. Parliament should have acted much earlier.