Mnangagwa already squandering massive goodwill, says Mutambara

Former deputy prime minister of Zimbabwe, Arthur Mutambara, on Wednesday said the new government in his country was already squandering the "massive goodwill" from across the world, in the wake of 93-year-old Robert Mugabe's resignation.

"There is no momentum [regarding the envisaged political reform and attraction of much-needed investors]. At the moment the regime is at 0 of 10 on the key agenda issues," Mutambara told the African News Agency (ANA) in an exclusive interview.

"They have squandered the goodwill that came with the departure of Mugabe."

Mutambara said he was advancing a 10-point-agenda, which he believes will turn around the fortunes of Zimbabwe, a former economic powerhouse in the Southern Africa Development Community region.

"There are 10 key matters that we need to push the new regime in Zimbabwe to address: reforms electoral, media, political and legislative to enable and facilitate free, fair and credible elections," said Mutambara.

He said it was necessary "to have a clear and inclusive roadmap to those free, fair and credible elections in 2018; thirdly, the release of all political prisoners and those currently under trial; security sector reforms, in particular, de-linking the military from civilian mandates".

The other points advanced by Mutambara include the redress for all victims of political violence, Murambatsvina (which saw thousands of residents displaced in cities) and Gukurahundi (in which as many as 20,000 Ndebele people were slaughtered by Mugabe's Fifth Brigade army in the south of Zimbabwe).

The former Zimbabwe deputy prime minister suggested the implementation of "devolution and decentralisation" of power as prescribed in the national constitution, constitutionalism and general adherence to, and respect for, the rule of law.

He said, in addition, it was necessary to have a sincere, holistic and systemic approach to the eradication of corruption as well as economic recovery and stabilization, in particular, fiscal consolidation and the elimination of the growing budget deficit were necessary if there was to be any meaningful way forward.

Mutambara also called for shared and inclusive economic growth, development and prosperity.

Mutambara was a guest when former deputy president, Emmerson Mnangagwa, was inaugurated as Zimbabwe's new president last month, following Mugabe's forced resignation.