News / National
Zimbabwe being run by corrupt cartels
2 hrs ago |
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President Emmerson Mnangagwa's biographer and advisor, Eddie Cross, has publicly admitted that Zimbabwe is being run by corrupt cartels and oligarchs - echoing earlier remarks by Vice President Constantino Chiwenga.
Cross, a long-time economic commentator and one of Mnangagwa's close associates, said the country has fallen into the grip of individuals who flaunt obscene wealth while ordinary citizens suffer. "These people own mansions with helicopter pads, while the majority of Zimbabweans go to bed on empty stomachs," he said.
His remarks have drawn attention not only for their substance but also for their source. Coming from within Mnangagwa's inner circle, the admission underscores growing divisions and frustration within the ruling establishment over widespread corruption and economic mismanagement.
Veteran investigative journalist Hopewell Chin'ono noted that Cross's comments confirm what Zimbabweans have long known - that the country has become one of the most unequal societies in the world. "Zimbabwe has been crippled by corruption, incompetence, and sheer cluelessness at the top," Chin'ono said. "Under Mnangagwa's watch, billions of dollars have been looted through state capture and organised plunder, enriching a small elite while hospitals collapse and public servants go unpaid."
The timing and source of the statement have made it particularly striking. Cross's comments were carried by a pro-Zanu-PF newspaper - a publication that typically defends the government and presents a positive image of the state. Analysts say the fact that such a paper published remarks critical of the administration signals how deep the crisis has become.
Observers suggest the acknowledgment from within the president's camp reflects the extent to which corruption and cartel influence have eroded public trust and institutional integrity. It also points to growing awareness, even among traditional defenders of the regime, that the scale of looting and inequality can no longer be concealed.
"When the propaganda machinery starts admitting the truth," one political analyst remarked, "it means the rot has become impossible to hide."
Cross, a long-time economic commentator and one of Mnangagwa's close associates, said the country has fallen into the grip of individuals who flaunt obscene wealth while ordinary citizens suffer. "These people own mansions with helicopter pads, while the majority of Zimbabweans go to bed on empty stomachs," he said.
His remarks have drawn attention not only for their substance but also for their source. Coming from within Mnangagwa's inner circle, the admission underscores growing divisions and frustration within the ruling establishment over widespread corruption and economic mismanagement.
Veteran investigative journalist Hopewell Chin'ono noted that Cross's comments confirm what Zimbabweans have long known - that the country has become one of the most unequal societies in the world. "Zimbabwe has been crippled by corruption, incompetence, and sheer cluelessness at the top," Chin'ono said. "Under Mnangagwa's watch, billions of dollars have been looted through state capture and organised plunder, enriching a small elite while hospitals collapse and public servants go unpaid."
The timing and source of the statement have made it particularly striking. Cross's comments were carried by a pro-Zanu-PF newspaper - a publication that typically defends the government and presents a positive image of the state. Analysts say the fact that such a paper published remarks critical of the administration signals how deep the crisis has become.
Observers suggest the acknowledgment from within the president's camp reflects the extent to which corruption and cartel influence have eroded public trust and institutional integrity. It also points to growing awareness, even among traditional defenders of the regime, that the scale of looting and inequality can no longer be concealed.
"When the propaganda machinery starts admitting the truth," one political analyst remarked, "it means the rot has become impossible to hide."
Source - online
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