“You wouldn’t tolerate an underperforming surgeon in an operating theatre. Why is it that we tolerate underperforming….?”Michael Gove
Ancient kings of Siam (present-day Thailand) would sometimes give a white elephant to their enemies. This apparent ‘Royal gift’ meant doom for the recipient because white elephants were considered sacred and needed special care, were not allowed to work and could not be sold, given away or killed.
Hence the recipient was given a mammoth task, and the unwelcome monstrosity would literally eat the new owner’s fortune till bankruptcy.
Before I forget, you may recall that while President Lazarus Chakwera, the Cabinet and his farrago of advisors, the Presidential Taskforce on COVID and the Department of Disaster Management Affairs (DODMA) were busy disbursing and eating money and focussing on all manner of non-priorities; billions of Kwachas for Covid were being hard-heartedly abused, misused and stolen.