Zanu PF, MDC-T have failed Zimbabwe, says ICG report

THE International Crisis Group (ICG), a global think tank has said Zimbabwe's two largest political parties are failures as they focused on party infighting than the country's economic development.

In its latest report released on Monday this week, the organisation run by retired statesmen described Zimbabwe as "an insolvent and failing state with zero-sum politics."

The conflict monitoring and resolution group said in its latest bulletin that a year on, Zimbabwe faces multiple social and economic problems, spawned by endemic governance failures and compounded by a debilitating ruling party succession crisis.

"Both Zanu PF and the Movement for Democratic Change - Tsvangirai (MDC-T) are embroiled in major internal power struggles that distract from addressing the corrosion of the social and economic fabric," said the report, titled Zimbabwe: Waiting for the Future.

"Zimbabwe is an insolvent and failing State, its politics zero sum, its institutions hollowing out, and its once vibrant economy moribund. A major culture change is needed among political elites, as well as commitment to national as opposed to partisan and personal interests."

Despite visibly waning capacities, 90-year-old  Mugabe shows no sign of wanting to leave office, while the succession battle within Zanu PF is presented as a two-way race between Vice President Joice Mujuru and Justice minister Emmerson Mnangagwa, but the reality is more complex.

"Public battles have intensified, with intimidation and violence a disquieting feature. Mugabe"s diminished ability to manage this discord will be severely tested ahead of its December National People"s Congress," the report says.

The group also says without major budgetary support, the ruling party cannot deliver on election promises.

"Deals with China to improve infrastructure provide some respite, but will not resolve immediate challenges," the ICG said.

Last month, Mugabe visited old ally China where he signed several infrastructural development agreements which the government hopes will give the country's sick economy a major facelift.

The ICG says neither the government, nor the opposition has a plan the country is willing to rally behind and predicted that a possible grand coalition amongst political parties would not happen soon.

The political opposition, ICG says, should establish a consultative mechanism, in conjunction with civil society, that seeks consensus and dialogue across the political spectrum on priority - in particular economic and governance - reforms; and review 2013 election flaws through a forward-looking agenda that addresses major concerns projected for the 2018 polls, including voters roll and anomalies in electoral legislative amendments.