Mugabe, be warned, the nation is watching

Yesterday, we reported that President Robert Mugabe could have blown an estimated $20 million in hosting the eight Zanu-PF youth interface rallies held so far and that his family's business empire, Gushungo Dairies, is cashing in on the meetings, having pocketed $120 000 through the sale of its ice-cream and other dairy products.

This is really quite disturbing, and makes for sad reading given the dire economic crisis bedevilling the country, yet Mugabe's family abuses his power and influence to feed its coffers. If this is not stealing from the national purse, we do not know what it is.

These shenanigans create the impression that business is viable in the country, when virtually every other firm is groaning under an impossible operating environment that can be traced back to the Mugabe regime's failed and self-serving economic policies.

It is really heart-breaking, as this is happening at a time the Zanu-PF administration is struggling to fulfil its salary obligations to the millions of faithful civil servants. It boggles the mind why the regime is not channelling the remaining little resources to the struggling government.

This demonstrates more than anything else that the Mugabe regime doesn't have the citizenry's best interests at heart. They are leaving no stone unturned in milking the country dry and it won't be surprising that by the time Mugabe leaves power, Zimbabwe would have been reduced to no more than an empty shell.

If the average $2,5 million being spent in hosting the countrywide rallies could be injected into the ailing economy, that would have made sense and demonstrated that the political leadership has its priorities right.

But this is the least of their worries, as long as they remain ensconced in power and the luxury and comfort it brings.

Zimbabweans have no doubt that the soon-to-be 94-year-old Mugabe, his mercurial wife Grace and the Zanu-PF leadership have their priorities mixed up. Quite clearly, for them power has long ceased to be a means to an end — like improving the lot of hard-pressed Zimbabweans — but an end in itself. They now have a sense of entitlement.

It is public knowledge that Zanu-PF companies have also caught the bug that has infected the ailing economy and the majority of their supporters are also living in dire circumstances despite their undying loyalty to the moribund party, which clearly indicates that the party has no capacity to bankroll the rallies.

If an audit is to be carried out, it won't be a surprise that Zanu-PF is dipping into government coffers and there is massive diversion of funds to prop up the collapsing regime that has long outlived its lifespan.

Mugabe and his ilk should be warned that, in time, the long arm of the law will definitely catch up with them and their families. Zimbabweans are watching their movements!