'Mugabe doesn't care'

Amid turmoil across the country, opposition political parties say government's failure to address the situation is a sign that President Robert Mugabe does not care about the suffering of the people.

For nearly two decades now, Zimbabweans have braved serious economic hardships and in the past few weeks things have been coming to a head as waves of protests spread.

Analysts and the opposition say instead of finding the desperately-needed solutions to deal with the country's myriad of problems, Zanu PF is obsessed with "power just for the sake of power".

MDC spokesperson Obert Gutu said the governing party is not serious when it comes to bread and butter issues.

"Mugabe doesn't really care about the suffering endured by the majority of the people of Zimbabwe. He and members of his inner circle live the lives of kings, bankrolled by corruption and graft.  Theirs is a lifestyle of obscene opulence juxtaposed with grinding poverty for the majority of the people," said Gutu.

Mugabe's government has failed to pay its workers and under his rule, Zimbabwe ranks among the poorest nations in the world.

"These people have no shame, they have no conscience .Actually, they seem to be fascinated and exhilarated when poor Zimbabweans come before them on bended knees, literally begging for food and other basics of life," said Gutu.

According to Gutu Zimbabwe is headed towards the unknown.

"It simply goes to show that Mugabe is anything but a hero. He is just obsessed by power and he will do anything to retain political power. If he had a conscience, he would have resigned several years ago."

Political analyst Shakespeare Hamauswa said the country's poor were getting poorer while the rich continue amassing wealth.

Hamauswa added that Zanu PF was "holding the country hostage" while its bigwigs continued to savage each other with reckless abandon and without forging a progressive path forward for the long-suffering country.

"Since the late 1990s Mugabe has not been sincere to the welfare of the people. He has been loyal and sincere to his political power and selfish interests.

"Yes he holds very good visions about economic empowerment and giving people land but he has been using that as trump cards to maintain his grip on power."

Spokesperson of the Welshman Ncube-led Kurauone Chihwayi said under Mugabe, Zimbabwe is now beyond redemption.

"He is one of the most dishonest leaders around who is not concerned with the plight of ordinary people in and outside Zanu PF but wants to create a Mugabe dynasty. He is simply one of those cruel predators clinging on to save personal interests. Mugabe is one of those leaders who messed up and is now scared," Chihwayi said.

Since Mugabe's party controversially won the 2013 elections, the economy had slowed down, with thousands losing their jobs and social service delivery hitting an all-time low.

What makes the country's situation worse is that in the urban areas, most of the unemployed and educated youths are selling an assortment of products including cell phones, recharge cards, vegetables, clothes, traditional herbs and skin lightening cream.