Opinion / Columnist
You can't rig suffering Zimbabweans, Mr. Mnangagwa!
08 Sep 2024 at 20:09hrs | Views
The debate rages on as to President Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa's true intentions regarding his stay in power.
Is he stepping down as demanded by the country's Constitution at the end of his two-term limit in 2028, or will he seek to stay on regardless?
No one really believes Mnangagwa's assurances that he would not be extending his stay in office.
What with all the increased noise by the ruling ZANU PF party - through endless resolutions - for Mnangagwa to go beyond 2028.
It is now common knowledge that, even in the event of the ruling party using its two-thirds majority (with the help of Sengezo Tshabangu's CCC in the upper house), to amend section 91 of the Constitution, there is still one huge hurdle standing in the way of Mnangagwa's ambitions.
Section 328(7) of the supreme law clearly states that an amendment to a term-limit provision 'does not apply in relation to any person who may hold or occupy that office, or an equivalent office, at any time before the amendment'.
Even if ZANU PF were to repeal that section, this can not be applied retroactively.
In other words, the law can not be enforced or applied to events, actions, or situations that occurred before the law was enacted or came into effect.
It means that the 'new law' only applies to future events and actions, and not to those that occurred before its enactment.
As such, an amendment or repeal to section 328(7) will only benefit the next president of Zimbabwe and certainly not Mnangagwa.
Be that as it may, this is not the gist of my discourse today.
What baffles me are the reasons proffered my Mnangagwa's supporters for him to remain in office way past the constitutional expiry of his term.
They claim that he has done such an outstanding job as president of Zimbabwe, that he deserves to continue in office.
Wow, what utter hogwash!
What 'outstanding job' has Mnangagwa performed in Zimbabwe?
Those calling for 'ED to still be in power in 2030' point to what they term 'development projects' undertaken by the Mnangagwa regime ever since taking office through an unconstitutional military coup d'état in November 2017.
They have cited the expansion of the RGM International Airport, the refurbishment of the Beitbridge Border Post, the rehabilitation of roads, construction of a few dams, and the Hwange Power Station Unit 7 and 8 project, and the establishment of a handful of companies.
Surely, can this be reason enough to not only keep a president in office but also go as far as amending a sacrosanct document as the country's Constitution?
Chashamisira ipapo ndechipi?
If these few things are what those in ZANU PF consider earthshattering to the point of pushing for a country's leader to go beyond his term limit, then we are in serious trouble as Zimbabweans.
Surely, what fool can not expand an airport, tar a few roads that had been neglected for decades, build a couple of dams, and attract some companies to invest in the country?
I am sure such things are even taking place in 'ailed and war ravaged states such as Somalia, South Sudan, Syria, and Haiti, amongst many others.
In recent years, Somalia has managed to reconstruct the Port of Mogadishu and increased power generation capacity through launching the Somali Electricity Authority.
South Sudan has significantly increased oil production and launched an impressive South Sudan Electronic Payment System.
I could go on and on – but the bottom line is that there is absolutely nothing 'outstanding' about Mnangagwa's supposed 'achievements'.
Any leader who fails to achieve such basic things would have gone beyond failure!
Can this then be justification for a president to possibly violate the country's Constitution?
It does not stop here.
What about the misery and suffering Zimbabweans have faced under Mnangagwa?
Are we to ignore that?
According to statistics by the Wold Bank, poverty in Zimbabwe has actually increased under Mnangagwa.
In 2017, when he grabbed power from Robert Gabriel Mugabe, only 30 percent of the population was regarded as living in extreme poverty.
By 2019, this figure had risen to 38 percent.
Today, an estimated 49 percent of ordinary Zimbabweans are living in extreme poverty – based on the UN (United Nations) standard of earning less than US$5.50 a day.
As can be clearly seen, under Mnangagwa, the people of Zimbabwe have actually become poorer and poorer.
Furthermore, only about 27 percent of Zimbabwe's workforce is formally employed, with the remaining 73% working in the informal sector.
Most of those informally employed work without formal contracts in low-earning activities – such as street vending, or in small shops, or self-employed – and without social insurance benefits.
This leaves the vast majority of our youth without any hope for the future.
In fact, this hopelessness can be directly linked to the unprecedented drug and substance abuse pandemic, which surfaced in Zimbabwe over the past few years ever since Mnangagwa assumed office.
That is why, in spite of our universities churning out an average 30,000 graduates as year, most of them are without any meaningful economic activity in which to engage.
Some, despite possessing impressive university degrees, are left with no choice but to go for lowly nurse aide training in the hope of migrating to the UK to work as home care workers.
It is estimated that between 4 and 7 million Zimbabweans live outside of Zimbabwe, which is roughly 30 percent of the country's population.
Nothing says, 'Zimbabwe is a failed state' louder that when so many people flee their own country in search of the proverbial 'greener pastures'.
In the case of Zimbabwe, these people are not even looking for greener pastures but a means to survive.
Leaving Zimbabwe is no longer a matter of wanting a better life but is now a matter of life or death.
Yet, we live in a country with 60 known precious minerals that should be earning Zimbabwe billions and billions of dollars each year.
Based on officials statistics, Zimbabwe generated US$9.7 billion in mineral revenue in 2023, falling short of its US$12 billion target.
This does not even factor in the billions of dollars not declared or underreported due to the smuggling of our minerals and other corrupt activities.
Despite this, the mining industry remains a crucial sector for the country's economy, accounting for 12 percent of its GDP and 80 percent of national exports.
Zimbabwe's GDP currently stands at US$26.54 billion.
With such a figure, should Zimbabwe not be a wealthy country by now, with its citizens living in relative comfort?
We do not even need to wait for some lofty ideal of an 'upper middle-income economy by 2030' for us to be enjoying a life of comfort and luxury.
Zimbabwe already has what it needs for it to prosper.
So, why are we still poor?
Based on figures by the country's own Prosecutor-General and former chair of the ZACC (Zimbabwe Anti Corruption Commission), Loice Matanda-Moyo, Zimbabwe loses an estimated US$1.8 billion annually to corruption.
According to findings by Transparency International Zimbabwe, the country loses around US$5 million each and every day.
It is undeniable that the Mnangagwa administration is not serious about tackling the root cause of our poverty and suffering in Zimbabwe.
That is why Zimbabwe's latest Corruption Perception Index sits at an embarrassing 24 out of 100, according to Transparency International's 2023 report.
This score reflects the perceived level of public sector corruption in Zimbabwe, with 0 indicating high corruption and 100 indicating no corruption.
Additionally, Zimbabwe ranks 149th out of 180 countries in terms of corruption perception.
As a matter of fact, the country has not made any significant strides in fighting corruption ever since Mnangagwa usurped power.
In 2017, Zimbabwe was ranked 157 out of 180 countries and had a score of 22.
This goes to show that the country is still just as rotten and corrupt as it was under Mugabe – only the faces have changed.
Therefore, with all these facts in mind, what would make any sane person believe that Mnangagwa deserves to stay in office, especially beyond his constitutional term limit?
Why would someone who has presided over the continued – in fact, based on statistics, worsened – misery of ordinary Zimbabweans be allowed to stay in power even for a day longer?
Can anyone deny that, had it not been for the deplorably skewed and unfair political landscape in Zimbabwe, Mnangagwa would have never won an election?
In spite of the brazen violation of our own electoral laws and SADC guidelines governing democratic elections, Mnangagwa has never managed to attain more than 53 percent of the popular vote.
In 2018, he secured a paltry 50.8 percent, whilst in 2023 he garnered only 52.60 percent.
All the intimidation of voters, banning of opposition campaigns, arrests of key opponents, biased state media, and numerous other violations of electoral laws could not even secure Mnangagwa a convincing win.
Again, I ask: So why should a sacred document as the country's Constitution be amended for such a person to remain in office?
Clearly, ordinary Zimbabweans do not want him in power anymore.
They possibly never wanted him in power, in the first place – seeing how he has failed to win an election convincingly and only came to power through the barrel of a gun.
Even his own ZANU PF party has fared significantly better than him over the past two elections since 2017.
I really do not care what some overzealous sycophants in ZANU PF want us to believe.
They can tell us all sorts of yarns and fairly tales over Mnangagwa's supposed 'achievements'.
However, statistics do not lie.
They tell a story of a failed, unwanted, and despised leader who has brought nothing but pain and misery to ordinary Zimbabweans.
© Tendai Ruben Mbofana is a social justice advocate and writer. Please feel free to WhatsApp or Call: +263715667700 | +263782283975, or email: mbofana.tendairuben73@gmail.com, or visit website: https://mbofanatendairuben.news.blog/
Is he stepping down as demanded by the country's Constitution at the end of his two-term limit in 2028, or will he seek to stay on regardless?
No one really believes Mnangagwa's assurances that he would not be extending his stay in office.
What with all the increased noise by the ruling ZANU PF party - through endless resolutions - for Mnangagwa to go beyond 2028.
It is now common knowledge that, even in the event of the ruling party using its two-thirds majority (with the help of Sengezo Tshabangu's CCC in the upper house), to amend section 91 of the Constitution, there is still one huge hurdle standing in the way of Mnangagwa's ambitions.
Section 328(7) of the supreme law clearly states that an amendment to a term-limit provision 'does not apply in relation to any person who may hold or occupy that office, or an equivalent office, at any time before the amendment'.
Even if ZANU PF were to repeal that section, this can not be applied retroactively.
In other words, the law can not be enforced or applied to events, actions, or situations that occurred before the law was enacted or came into effect.
It means that the 'new law' only applies to future events and actions, and not to those that occurred before its enactment.
As such, an amendment or repeal to section 328(7) will only benefit the next president of Zimbabwe and certainly not Mnangagwa.
Be that as it may, this is not the gist of my discourse today.
What baffles me are the reasons proffered my Mnangagwa's supporters for him to remain in office way past the constitutional expiry of his term.
They claim that he has done such an outstanding job as president of Zimbabwe, that he deserves to continue in office.
Wow, what utter hogwash!
What 'outstanding job' has Mnangagwa performed in Zimbabwe?
Those calling for 'ED to still be in power in 2030' point to what they term 'development projects' undertaken by the Mnangagwa regime ever since taking office through an unconstitutional military coup d'état in November 2017.
They have cited the expansion of the RGM International Airport, the refurbishment of the Beitbridge Border Post, the rehabilitation of roads, construction of a few dams, and the Hwange Power Station Unit 7 and 8 project, and the establishment of a handful of companies.
Surely, can this be reason enough to not only keep a president in office but also go as far as amending a sacrosanct document as the country's Constitution?
Chashamisira ipapo ndechipi?
If these few things are what those in ZANU PF consider earthshattering to the point of pushing for a country's leader to go beyond his term limit, then we are in serious trouble as Zimbabweans.
Surely, what fool can not expand an airport, tar a few roads that had been neglected for decades, build a couple of dams, and attract some companies to invest in the country?
I am sure such things are even taking place in 'ailed and war ravaged states such as Somalia, South Sudan, Syria, and Haiti, amongst many others.
In recent years, Somalia has managed to reconstruct the Port of Mogadishu and increased power generation capacity through launching the Somali Electricity Authority.
South Sudan has significantly increased oil production and launched an impressive South Sudan Electronic Payment System.
I could go on and on – but the bottom line is that there is absolutely nothing 'outstanding' about Mnangagwa's supposed 'achievements'.
Any leader who fails to achieve such basic things would have gone beyond failure!
Can this then be justification for a president to possibly violate the country's Constitution?
It does not stop here.
What about the misery and suffering Zimbabweans have faced under Mnangagwa?
Are we to ignore that?
According to statistics by the Wold Bank, poverty in Zimbabwe has actually increased under Mnangagwa.
In 2017, when he grabbed power from Robert Gabriel Mugabe, only 30 percent of the population was regarded as living in extreme poverty.
By 2019, this figure had risen to 38 percent.
Today, an estimated 49 percent of ordinary Zimbabweans are living in extreme poverty – based on the UN (United Nations) standard of earning less than US$5.50 a day.
As can be clearly seen, under Mnangagwa, the people of Zimbabwe have actually become poorer and poorer.
Furthermore, only about 27 percent of Zimbabwe's workforce is formally employed, with the remaining 73% working in the informal sector.
Most of those informally employed work without formal contracts in low-earning activities – such as street vending, or in small shops, or self-employed – and without social insurance benefits.
This leaves the vast majority of our youth without any hope for the future.
In fact, this hopelessness can be directly linked to the unprecedented drug and substance abuse pandemic, which surfaced in Zimbabwe over the past few years ever since Mnangagwa assumed office.
That is why, in spite of our universities churning out an average 30,000 graduates as year, most of them are without any meaningful economic activity in which to engage.
Some, despite possessing impressive university degrees, are left with no choice but to go for lowly nurse aide training in the hope of migrating to the UK to work as home care workers.
It is estimated that between 4 and 7 million Zimbabweans live outside of Zimbabwe, which is roughly 30 percent of the country's population.
Nothing says, 'Zimbabwe is a failed state' louder that when so many people flee their own country in search of the proverbial 'greener pastures'.
In the case of Zimbabwe, these people are not even looking for greener pastures but a means to survive.
Leaving Zimbabwe is no longer a matter of wanting a better life but is now a matter of life or death.
Yet, we live in a country with 60 known precious minerals that should be earning Zimbabwe billions and billions of dollars each year.
Based on officials statistics, Zimbabwe generated US$9.7 billion in mineral revenue in 2023, falling short of its US$12 billion target.
This does not even factor in the billions of dollars not declared or underreported due to the smuggling of our minerals and other corrupt activities.
Despite this, the mining industry remains a crucial sector for the country's economy, accounting for 12 percent of its GDP and 80 percent of national exports.
Zimbabwe's GDP currently stands at US$26.54 billion.
With such a figure, should Zimbabwe not be a wealthy country by now, with its citizens living in relative comfort?
We do not even need to wait for some lofty ideal of an 'upper middle-income economy by 2030' for us to be enjoying a life of comfort and luxury.
Zimbabwe already has what it needs for it to prosper.
So, why are we still poor?
Based on figures by the country's own Prosecutor-General and former chair of the ZACC (Zimbabwe Anti Corruption Commission), Loice Matanda-Moyo, Zimbabwe loses an estimated US$1.8 billion annually to corruption.
According to findings by Transparency International Zimbabwe, the country loses around US$5 million each and every day.
It is undeniable that the Mnangagwa administration is not serious about tackling the root cause of our poverty and suffering in Zimbabwe.
That is why Zimbabwe's latest Corruption Perception Index sits at an embarrassing 24 out of 100, according to Transparency International's 2023 report.
This score reflects the perceived level of public sector corruption in Zimbabwe, with 0 indicating high corruption and 100 indicating no corruption.
Additionally, Zimbabwe ranks 149th out of 180 countries in terms of corruption perception.
As a matter of fact, the country has not made any significant strides in fighting corruption ever since Mnangagwa usurped power.
In 2017, Zimbabwe was ranked 157 out of 180 countries and had a score of 22.
This goes to show that the country is still just as rotten and corrupt as it was under Mugabe – only the faces have changed.
Therefore, with all these facts in mind, what would make any sane person believe that Mnangagwa deserves to stay in office, especially beyond his constitutional term limit?
Why would someone who has presided over the continued – in fact, based on statistics, worsened – misery of ordinary Zimbabweans be allowed to stay in power even for a day longer?
Can anyone deny that, had it not been for the deplorably skewed and unfair political landscape in Zimbabwe, Mnangagwa would have never won an election?
In spite of the brazen violation of our own electoral laws and SADC guidelines governing democratic elections, Mnangagwa has never managed to attain more than 53 percent of the popular vote.
In 2018, he secured a paltry 50.8 percent, whilst in 2023 he garnered only 52.60 percent.
All the intimidation of voters, banning of opposition campaigns, arrests of key opponents, biased state media, and numerous other violations of electoral laws could not even secure Mnangagwa a convincing win.
Again, I ask: So why should a sacred document as the country's Constitution be amended for such a person to remain in office?
Clearly, ordinary Zimbabweans do not want him in power anymore.
They possibly never wanted him in power, in the first place – seeing how he has failed to win an election convincingly and only came to power through the barrel of a gun.
Even his own ZANU PF party has fared significantly better than him over the past two elections since 2017.
I really do not care what some overzealous sycophants in ZANU PF want us to believe.
They can tell us all sorts of yarns and fairly tales over Mnangagwa's supposed 'achievements'.
However, statistics do not lie.
They tell a story of a failed, unwanted, and despised leader who has brought nothing but pain and misery to ordinary Zimbabweans.
© Tendai Ruben Mbofana is a social justice advocate and writer. Please feel free to WhatsApp or Call: +263715667700 | +263782283975, or email: mbofana.tendairuben73@gmail.com, or visit website: https://mbofanatendairuben.news.blog/
Source - Tendai Ruben Mbofana
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