News / National
Zanu-PF govt should balance politics and development
02 Nov 2017 at 06:12hrs | Views
Tinashe Eric Muzamhindo
As a researcher, I have made my own assessment; politics has killed development, democracy and opportunities in this country.
Our politics is toxic; we can't attract any meaningful investment because of the way we do our politics.
We are busy chasing away potential investors, and we threaten those who can bail us with aid, so long it suits Zanu PF politics and agenda.
Honestly how can a political institution spend 8 million (USD) on a mere congress just because of one person who can simply be fired anytime, than to channel those resources towards development? My own assessment is we have long way to go as far as development is concerned.
Development is the art of improvement, growth, expansion, maturity, enlargement, progress and success.
We have a big problem in Zimbabwe, as we speak Zanu PF is concerned about winning 2018 elections, whilst over 3 million Zimbabweans need humanitarian assistance.
If we assess development for the past 37 years you find that we have nothing to talk about except plundering of natural resources and looting of national resources.
We had diamonds that were worth 60 billion according to those who did feasibility studies, but we have nothing to show to the world.
We are the second largest platinum producer in Africa if not in the world, but we have nothing to show, we have good arable land for agriculture production, but we are not utilizing land, most of these greedy politicians have been grabbing land.
In the past 60% of Gross Domestic Product came from Agriculture.
We have a serious problem in terms of development.
How can one seek re-election when previous election promises have not yet been fulfilled? In 2013 we were told that Zanu PF Government is going to provide 2.2 million jobs but from my understanding only two jobs were created, that is for Phekezela Mphoko and Simba Chikoore for ailing Air Zimbabwe.
We have not yet heard any update since then; my question will then be how can we move to another election when the previous manifesto has not been fulfilled? We have over 3 million people languishing in poverty and we have a gap in development.
Our President through the ministry of Finance allocated over 20 million for youth empowerment fund meant for youths in Zimbabwe, those funds were looted and we hear that a certain minister has built a house worthy 3 million and we wonder in this world how a mere minister can build a house worthy 3 million when we have a cholera-typhoid outbreak in most parts of Harare suburbs? Diamonds that were worth 60 billion were looted by big chefs and they are walking scot free in Harare and Manicaland were diamonds were discovered have nothing to show that they are the ones who discovered the precious mineral.
Remember these were alluvial diamonds that were expensive on the market but the same area Marange is under-developed, most children in Marange area they are struggling to get school fees and affordable education.
We have a real problem in this country, we have a heartless leadership which thrives on corruption and looting, and who are allergic to development.
Most parts of the country are under-developed and there is no progress.
I've heard of the recent project to be launched, the Harare-Chirundu high way project.
What we just heard was that the project is going to cost 1.2 billion USD only we haven't been told who conducted the feasibility studies, who won the tender, what was considered to be awarded the tender, so how then do we develop this country with such parameters? My feeling was that this is a big project which has high cost projections, and it was very important the President and the minster responsible for Transport and communication to explain to the nation how they arrived on such a figure? You can separate development and transparency.
We are the second poorest country in the world, yet we are rich in natural resources, my question how do we balance our politics and development? We have heard that Zanu PF has bought cars worth millions of dollars when the whole country is languishing in poverty.
Is this the time to make such procurements? Or this is the time to concentrate with development? Local universities have offloaded more than 8000 graduates who will resort to vending activities because of the hardships in our country.
Most of these recent graduates have resorted to selling airtime and other menial jobs for survival whilst ministers in Mugabe's Government are purchasing posh and flashy vehicles ahead of 2018 elections.
Recently I have noticed that local chiefs have been awarded vehicles worthy 200 million, is that a priority? Where is development on this scam? Who was awarded the tender? How did they arrive at such a figure? Do we have enough forex reserves? So why then do you arrive at such a decision? Instead of focusing on campaigns or anything else they should redirect their efforts towards development.
What I have noticed is that Zanu PF is more concerned with 2018 elections and retaining presidency at any cost other than development.
Tinashe Eric Muzamhindo is the Head of Southern Institute of Policy Analysis and Research /SIPAR TRUST. He is also an academic, researcher and policy analyst. He can be contacted at southerninstitutepar@gmail.com
Our politics is toxic; we can't attract any meaningful investment because of the way we do our politics.
We are busy chasing away potential investors, and we threaten those who can bail us with aid, so long it suits Zanu PF politics and agenda.
Honestly how can a political institution spend 8 million (USD) on a mere congress just because of one person who can simply be fired anytime, than to channel those resources towards development? My own assessment is we have long way to go as far as development is concerned.
Development is the art of improvement, growth, expansion, maturity, enlargement, progress and success.
We have a big problem in Zimbabwe, as we speak Zanu PF is concerned about winning 2018 elections, whilst over 3 million Zimbabweans need humanitarian assistance.
If we assess development for the past 37 years you find that we have nothing to talk about except plundering of natural resources and looting of national resources.
We had diamonds that were worth 60 billion according to those who did feasibility studies, but we have nothing to show to the world.
We are the second largest platinum producer in Africa if not in the world, but we have nothing to show, we have good arable land for agriculture production, but we are not utilizing land, most of these greedy politicians have been grabbing land.
In the past 60% of Gross Domestic Product came from Agriculture.
We have a serious problem in terms of development.
How can one seek re-election when previous election promises have not yet been fulfilled? In 2013 we were told that Zanu PF Government is going to provide 2.2 million jobs but from my understanding only two jobs were created, that is for Phekezela Mphoko and Simba Chikoore for ailing Air Zimbabwe.
Our President through the ministry of Finance allocated over 20 million for youth empowerment fund meant for youths in Zimbabwe, those funds were looted and we hear that a certain minister has built a house worthy 3 million and we wonder in this world how a mere minister can build a house worthy 3 million when we have a cholera-typhoid outbreak in most parts of Harare suburbs? Diamonds that were worth 60 billion were looted by big chefs and they are walking scot free in Harare and Manicaland were diamonds were discovered have nothing to show that they are the ones who discovered the precious mineral.
Remember these were alluvial diamonds that were expensive on the market but the same area Marange is under-developed, most children in Marange area they are struggling to get school fees and affordable education.
We have a real problem in this country, we have a heartless leadership which thrives on corruption and looting, and who are allergic to development.
Most parts of the country are under-developed and there is no progress.
I've heard of the recent project to be launched, the Harare-Chirundu high way project.
What we just heard was that the project is going to cost 1.2 billion USD only we haven't been told who conducted the feasibility studies, who won the tender, what was considered to be awarded the tender, so how then do we develop this country with such parameters? My feeling was that this is a big project which has high cost projections, and it was very important the President and the minster responsible for Transport and communication to explain to the nation how they arrived on such a figure? You can separate development and transparency.
We are the second poorest country in the world, yet we are rich in natural resources, my question how do we balance our politics and development? We have heard that Zanu PF has bought cars worth millions of dollars when the whole country is languishing in poverty.
Is this the time to make such procurements? Or this is the time to concentrate with development? Local universities have offloaded more than 8000 graduates who will resort to vending activities because of the hardships in our country.
Most of these recent graduates have resorted to selling airtime and other menial jobs for survival whilst ministers in Mugabe's Government are purchasing posh and flashy vehicles ahead of 2018 elections.
Recently I have noticed that local chiefs have been awarded vehicles worthy 200 million, is that a priority? Where is development on this scam? Who was awarded the tender? How did they arrive at such a figure? Do we have enough forex reserves? So why then do you arrive at such a decision? Instead of focusing on campaigns or anything else they should redirect their efforts towards development.
What I have noticed is that Zanu PF is more concerned with 2018 elections and retaining presidency at any cost other than development.
Tinashe Eric Muzamhindo is the Head of Southern Institute of Policy Analysis and Research /SIPAR TRUST. He is also an academic, researcher and policy analyst. He can be contacted at southerninstitutepar@gmail.com
Source - Tinashe Eric Muzamhindo (PhD candidate)
