News / National
President Mugabe parties while Zim burns
02 Aug 2014 at 07:59hrs | Views
HARARE - The ruling Zanu PF yesterday shocked the world by holding celebrations to mark the anniversary of their electoral victory on July 31, 2013 despite widespread poverty gripping the nation.
Their victory celebrations at State House came at a time when citizens are blighted by a deepening liquidity crunch while President Robert Mugabe and his Cabinet have failed to live up to their electoral promises to grow the economy and create 2 million jobs.
The celebrations have been dampened by reports by the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions that over 300 people are being retrenched every week.
The broke government is not only struggling to service its wage bill but is also failing to guarantee pay dates.
This state of affairs has literally turned Zimbabwe into a nation of vendors and beggars.
Analysts told the Daily News yesterday that there was nothing to celebrate, one year after Zanu PF controversially won the elections.
University of Zimbabwe political scientist Eldred Masunungure said only a few elite had something to celebrate.
"The majority of voters have nothing to celebrate," Masunungure told the Daily News. "There is a pervasive mood of frustration that expectations generated have not been fulfilled.
The State has dramatically and steadily deteriorated.
"The reality on the ground is that the people are in mourning even among Members of Parliament, they are fighting silently as few have much to celebrate on a personal level and even in the constituencies they represent.
"We have suffered regression. We have been in reverse gear and I am not sure if any rational person can celebrate that."
Ibbo Mandaza, an academic and chairperson of Sapes Trust, said he did not know what Zanu PF was celebrating.
However, Charity Manyeruke, chairperson of the political science department at the University of Zimbabwe, said Zanu PF has everything to celebrate, including the break-up of the GNU which she said wasted a lot of resources and retarded development.
"This has enabled them to come up with solutions which include ZimAsset, even though it needs funding," Manyeruke said.
On the biting liquidity crunch which has forced a significant number of people to live well below the poverty datum line, the political scientist said what was happening was to be expected under the circumstances.
"Zimbabwe is coming from a long history dating to 2000 land reform which created problems like sanctions," she said.
"It is not going to be an easy road but it comes with understanding but it not only requires government efforts but international community supporting government efforts. Zimbabwe does not survive in isolation."
She said Zanu PF also had a lot to celebrate because Mugabe will take over as chairperson of the 15-nation Sadc at a summit scheduled for Victoria Falls this month.
"There are countries which thought that Zimbabwe was going into a crisis but they are shocked to see that we are intact. The Zanu PF vision of seeing a country that is united is being fulfilled," Manyeruke said, adding that having one government was supposed to bring clarity in terms of policies.
Stephen Chan, professor of world politics at the University of London, said: "As Zanu PF conducts its celebrations, it needs to be aware that only productivity and investment will lead to economic stability and growth.
"The only way the formal sector can grow, and thus form a proper foundation for tax revenues, is by a massive increase in liquidity - meaning, in Zimbabwe's case, foreign direct investment. That will not come until there is crystal clarity on indigenisation policies. No one invests if immediately half of that investment is compromised.
"In any case, redistribution leads to changed ownership. It does not of itself lead to increased productivity."
Beatrice Mtetwa, chairperson of the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights, said there had been small but notable gains over the past year. The firebrand lawyer cited the gazetting of the Gender Commission Bill as a positive development.
"There have been small gains and if they continue we will see how much there will be to celebrate next year but realignment of laws has been a stumbling block," Mtetwa said.
Their victory celebrations at State House came at a time when citizens are blighted by a deepening liquidity crunch while President Robert Mugabe and his Cabinet have failed to live up to their electoral promises to grow the economy and create 2 million jobs.
The celebrations have been dampened by reports by the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions that over 300 people are being retrenched every week.
The broke government is not only struggling to service its wage bill but is also failing to guarantee pay dates.
This state of affairs has literally turned Zimbabwe into a nation of vendors and beggars.
Analysts told the Daily News yesterday that there was nothing to celebrate, one year after Zanu PF controversially won the elections.
University of Zimbabwe political scientist Eldred Masunungure said only a few elite had something to celebrate.
"The majority of voters have nothing to celebrate," Masunungure told the Daily News. "There is a pervasive mood of frustration that expectations generated have not been fulfilled.
The State has dramatically and steadily deteriorated.
"The reality on the ground is that the people are in mourning even among Members of Parliament, they are fighting silently as few have much to celebrate on a personal level and even in the constituencies they represent.
"We have suffered regression. We have been in reverse gear and I am not sure if any rational person can celebrate that."
Ibbo Mandaza, an academic and chairperson of Sapes Trust, said he did not know what Zanu PF was celebrating.
"This has enabled them to come up with solutions which include ZimAsset, even though it needs funding," Manyeruke said.
On the biting liquidity crunch which has forced a significant number of people to live well below the poverty datum line, the political scientist said what was happening was to be expected under the circumstances.
"Zimbabwe is coming from a long history dating to 2000 land reform which created problems like sanctions," she said.
"It is not going to be an easy road but it comes with understanding but it not only requires government efforts but international community supporting government efforts. Zimbabwe does not survive in isolation."
She said Zanu PF also had a lot to celebrate because Mugabe will take over as chairperson of the 15-nation Sadc at a summit scheduled for Victoria Falls this month.
"There are countries which thought that Zimbabwe was going into a crisis but they are shocked to see that we are intact. The Zanu PF vision of seeing a country that is united is being fulfilled," Manyeruke said, adding that having one government was supposed to bring clarity in terms of policies.
Stephen Chan, professor of world politics at the University of London, said: "As Zanu PF conducts its celebrations, it needs to be aware that only productivity and investment will lead to economic stability and growth.
"The only way the formal sector can grow, and thus form a proper foundation for tax revenues, is by a massive increase in liquidity - meaning, in Zimbabwe's case, foreign direct investment. That will not come until there is crystal clarity on indigenisation policies. No one invests if immediately half of that investment is compromised.
"In any case, redistribution leads to changed ownership. It does not of itself lead to increased productivity."
Beatrice Mtetwa, chairperson of the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights, said there had been small but notable gains over the past year. The firebrand lawyer cited the gazetting of the Gender Commission Bill as a positive development.
"There have been small gains and if they continue we will see how much there will be to celebrate next year but realignment of laws has been a stumbling block," Mtetwa said.
Source - Daily News
