Ngarivhume's statement on the recent developments in Zimbabwe

Good day Zimbabwe.

After months in hibernation, Grace Mugabe resurfaced at her late mother's funeral to pay her last respects. Nematambudziko. I am really sorry about her loss. In 2015 I lost my mother, she was 71 and I know how it feels to lose the very important woman in your life, a mother.

Upon her return, Grace declared and boasted of a Gulfstream G650 Mnangagwa hired for her to come to the funeral from Singapore where she had undergone an operation. Reports filtered through from the government of Zimbabwe (GoZ) indicating that the chartered plane attracted a bill of $1.3 million!

I made contacts with my colleagues and partners in the Middle East to find out about the costing of the hire of the G650. They informed me that at the time of the hire of the plane for Grace, someone else chartered it for a whopping $220 000 for a trip to Europe. This leaves me confident that the chattering of the plane for Grace surely cost between $200 000 and $1.3 million for the GoZ.

Zimbabwe recently came out of a disputed election where Mnangagwa has serious issues of legitimacy following a rigged election. On the 1st of August, he and Chiwenga ordered the shooting of innocent civilians protesting in the streets of Harare. They have not publicly apologised for that, instead they are blaming the opposition for the deaths. God have mercy!

Following the election, Zimbabwe towns and cities have been hit by a deadly and horrific outbreak of primitive and Stone Age diseases, cholera and typhoid! The latter is a result of human waste finding its way into people's mouths and food, put simply kudya tsvina. To contain the outbreak, the Government of Zimbabwe needs to put in a minimum of $200 000 US in the areas affected like Budiriro, Glenview and Kwekwe among others. This will quickly contain the spread of the deadly outbreak on our people.

The priorities of this government are clearly misguided and far away from the people. To see Grace Mugabe boasting of Mnangagwa hiring the G650 for her to travel back for a funeral against the dying citizens sinks my heart. Firstly, Grace can afford the chattering on her own. Remember she can afford a $1.4 million diamond ring! Secondly, there are cheaper options. She could still have been placed in a good business class flight which is fairly comfortable for her following the op and this would have cost the taxpayers an average of $50 000 compared to the $1.3 million!

Meanwhile to deal with the Cholera outbreak, the GoZ is busy looking for support from the UN and other nations to raise the US$200 000 they need for that. At the same time the body count goes on in Glenview, Budiriro and Kwekwe.

What are the lessons here? Politicians in Zimbabwe have failed the nation. Leadership in Zimbabwe has failed. The failure of Zimbabwe has been a failure of leadership. We must repent!

There is a very thin line between witchcraft and hiring a G650 for a grieving, rich former first lady while people are dying of primitive diseases like cholera when an equivalent $200 000 can transform the water system of Glenview and Harare to save lives. Evil is not only the commissioning of that which is wrong but the omission of doing the right thing when it is in your power to do it.

As leadership we are busy fighting for power, while people are dying and suffering. God have mercy! Our priorities are wrong. Our focus is wrong and the things that matter to us are not the things that matter to the people we are trying to lead or are leading.

As I am leaving for church this morning, these matters have been eating heavy into my spirit. I will be in Glenview in the afternoon to assess the Cholera situation. Our party will be lobbying and pushing the government to do more to address permanently the water and sewage situation in our country.

GOD help us. God bless Zimbabwe

Jacob Ngarivhume
Transform Zimbabwe President