Opinion / Columnist
Mr. President, Zimbabwe's detractors are actually in the corridors of power
4 hrs ago | Views
Tendai Ruben Mbofana
In his speech marking "National Unity Day," President Emmerson Mnangagwa reiterated an oft-repeated claim that Zimbabwe was under attack from supposed detractors.
He declared, "The numerous attacks and ill-will we have endured from detractors over the years were aimed at sowing seeds of division and disunity."
This raises an important question: who are these so-called detractors?
Quite honestly, I have never come across anyone who has attacked Zimbabwe.
No one disparages or speaks ill of our beautiful nation.
What I have encountered, however, are ordinary citizens and concerned individuals lamenting the indescribable poverty afflicting the majority of Zimbabweans.
These grievances are not attacks on the country but desperate cries from those enduring unbearable suffering.
Their demands are straightforward: a dignified life in a country endowed with vast natural resources, including significant deposits of diamonds, gold, platinum, and lithium.
These are not the demands of enemies of Zimbabwe; they are the pleas of its citizens who expect their government to deliver on its promises.
This brings us to the root of the issue.
To directly receive articles from Tendai Ruben Mbofana, please join his WhatsApp Channel on: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaqprWCIyPtRnKpkHe08
The majority of Zimbabweans, and those who empathize with them, know precisely why an estimated 70% of the population lives below the poverty line.
Nearly half of these people survive on less than $2.50 per day, a level classified as extreme poverty.
The cause of this dire situation is no mystery: unchecked looting, misappropriation, and gross mismanagement of national resources by those in power.
How can anyone justify extreme poverty in a country that boasts Africa's largest lithium reserves?
Why should public hospitals lack essential medications and critical equipment, such as functioning cancer machines, surgical theaters, and ambulances, in a nation with the world's second-largest platinum deposits?
How do we explain rural schools without basic learning materials such as books, desks, or chairs, let alone modern technologies and science laboratories, in a country that ranks as the seventh-largest producer of diamonds globally?
The situation is equally alarming in nutrition.
How can any child go to bed hungry, with 23.5%-or over half a million children-suffering from stunted growth due to chronic malnutrition, in a nation with the second-largest gold reserves per square kilometer worldwide?
The failure to provide these essentials reflects a larger systemic problem.
Zimbabwe's electricity woes, for instance, stem from the looting of funds meant to maintain power generation equipment and construct new infrastructure.
As a result, citizens endure extended blackouts, sometimes lasting days, disrupting livelihoods and economic productivity.
The truth is that Zimbabwe, under current leadership, has become a beggar state-with a population now largely dependent on handouts and donations to survive.
This is what the Mnangagwa administration disingenuously refers to as "leaving no one and no place behind"!
This stark reality is particularly shameful for a country endowed with abundant resources capable of sustaining its population.
What exacerbates this situation is the staggering level of corruption.
Zimbabwe loses an estimated $3 billion annually-nearly half the country's GDP-to corruption, illicit financial flows, and related activities.
This hemorrhaging of resources cripples the nation's potential for development and prosperity.
Yet, those implicated in the most egregious acts of corruption are rarely held accountable.
High-profile cases remain unresolved, reflecting a culture of impunity.
What has become of the $100 million looted through the shady deal involving the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC), controversial businessman Wicknell Chivayo, the Office of the President and Cabinet, and other stakeholders?
What about the $173 million allocated for the 100 MW Gwanda Solar Power Plant project, where Chivayo was given $5 million in advance in 2015, yet today the site remains barren except for a solitary solar panel used for lighting?
The "Gold Mafia" exposé by Al Jazeera highlighted even more shocking cases of corruption.
Zimbabwe's Ambassador-at-Large, Uebert Angel, and convicted gold smuggler Ewan Macmillan implicated high-ranking officials, including the First Family, in money laundering and gold smuggling schemes.
Despite the damning accusations, there has been no meaningful action taken against the culprits.
These examples barely scratch the surface of the grand corruption that has devastated Zimbabwe.
They reflect a pattern where the ruling elite prioritizes personal enrichment over national development.
In such a context, the cries of the hungry, unemployed, and impoverished are not only justified but also necessary.
Citizens speaking out against these injustices are not detractors or enemies of Zimbabwe.
On the contrary, they are patriots who love their country and want to see it thrive.
Their criticism is directed at those in power who have betrayed the nation's trust and squandered its resources.
True patriotism involves holding leaders accountable for their actions, especially when they fail to fulfill their responsibilities.
Zimbabweans criticizing the government's failures are not enemies of the state; they are advocates for a better Zimbabwe.
They desire a country where citizens can live in dignity, self-reliant and free from the shackles of poverty.
The real enemies of Zimbabwe are those in positions of power who loot national resources, mismanage public funds, and stifle accountability.
Surely, what are we to say about our leaders when they apparently see nothing untoward and immoral about purchasing an expensive new Rolls Royce vehicle for the president in the midst of poverty and lack?
These are the individuals undermining the nation's progress and tarnishing its reputation.
President Mnangagwa and his administration need to recognize this reality.
Blaming supposed detractors for Zimbabwe's problems is not only disingenuous but also counterproductive.
The government should focus on addressing the root causes of the nation's challenges rather than deflecting blame.
If those in power governed faithfully and diligently, with zero tolerance for corruption, there would be no need for criticism.
In fact, I, for one, would gladly spend my time writing positive articles praising their achievements and encouraging them to do more.
Unfortunately, the current leadership's failures leave little room for such optimism.
The unrelenting suffering of Zimbabweans demands urgent action.
It is high time for the government to reflect on its role in perpetuating the country's woes and take decisive steps to rectify its shortcomings.
Until then, no amount of rhetoric about "detractors" can mask the truth.
The real enemy of Zimbabwe is not external forces or critical citizens; it is the leadership itself.
If President Mnangagwa truly seeks to unite the nation, he must begin by addressing the corruption, mismanagement, and inefficiency that have become hallmarks of his administration.
Zimbabwe deserves better.
Its people deserve better.
The question is: will the government rise to the occasion, or will it continue to blame imaginary enemies for its self-inflicted wounds?
Time will tell.
But one thing is clear: the voices calling for justice, accountability, and reform will not be silenced.
They are not detractors; they are Zimbabweans demanding what is rightfully theirs-a prosperous, dignified, and united nation.
© Tendai Ruben Mbofana is a social justice advocate and writer. Please feel free to WhatsApp or Call: +26371567700 | +263782283975, or email: mbofana.tendairuben73@gmail.com, or visit website: https://mbofanatendairuben.news.blog/
He declared, "The numerous attacks and ill-will we have endured from detractors over the years were aimed at sowing seeds of division and disunity."
This raises an important question: who are these so-called detractors?
Quite honestly, I have never come across anyone who has attacked Zimbabwe.
No one disparages or speaks ill of our beautiful nation.
What I have encountered, however, are ordinary citizens and concerned individuals lamenting the indescribable poverty afflicting the majority of Zimbabweans.
These grievances are not attacks on the country but desperate cries from those enduring unbearable suffering.
Their demands are straightforward: a dignified life in a country endowed with vast natural resources, including significant deposits of diamonds, gold, platinum, and lithium.
These are not the demands of enemies of Zimbabwe; they are the pleas of its citizens who expect their government to deliver on its promises.
This brings us to the root of the issue.
To directly receive articles from Tendai Ruben Mbofana, please join his WhatsApp Channel on: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaqprWCIyPtRnKpkHe08
The majority of Zimbabweans, and those who empathize with them, know precisely why an estimated 70% of the population lives below the poverty line.
Nearly half of these people survive on less than $2.50 per day, a level classified as extreme poverty.
The cause of this dire situation is no mystery: unchecked looting, misappropriation, and gross mismanagement of national resources by those in power.
How can anyone justify extreme poverty in a country that boasts Africa's largest lithium reserves?
Why should public hospitals lack essential medications and critical equipment, such as functioning cancer machines, surgical theaters, and ambulances, in a nation with the world's second-largest platinum deposits?
How do we explain rural schools without basic learning materials such as books, desks, or chairs, let alone modern technologies and science laboratories, in a country that ranks as the seventh-largest producer of diamonds globally?
The situation is equally alarming in nutrition.
How can any child go to bed hungry, with 23.5%-or over half a million children-suffering from stunted growth due to chronic malnutrition, in a nation with the second-largest gold reserves per square kilometer worldwide?
The failure to provide these essentials reflects a larger systemic problem.
Zimbabwe's electricity woes, for instance, stem from the looting of funds meant to maintain power generation equipment and construct new infrastructure.
As a result, citizens endure extended blackouts, sometimes lasting days, disrupting livelihoods and economic productivity.
The truth is that Zimbabwe, under current leadership, has become a beggar state-with a population now largely dependent on handouts and donations to survive.
This is what the Mnangagwa administration disingenuously refers to as "leaving no one and no place behind"!
This stark reality is particularly shameful for a country endowed with abundant resources capable of sustaining its population.
What exacerbates this situation is the staggering level of corruption.
Zimbabwe loses an estimated $3 billion annually-nearly half the country's GDP-to corruption, illicit financial flows, and related activities.
This hemorrhaging of resources cripples the nation's potential for development and prosperity.
Yet, those implicated in the most egregious acts of corruption are rarely held accountable.
High-profile cases remain unresolved, reflecting a culture of impunity.
What has become of the $100 million looted through the shady deal involving the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC), controversial businessman Wicknell Chivayo, the Office of the President and Cabinet, and other stakeholders?
What about the $173 million allocated for the 100 MW Gwanda Solar Power Plant project, where Chivayo was given $5 million in advance in 2015, yet today the site remains barren except for a solitary solar panel used for lighting?
Zimbabwe's Ambassador-at-Large, Uebert Angel, and convicted gold smuggler Ewan Macmillan implicated high-ranking officials, including the First Family, in money laundering and gold smuggling schemes.
Despite the damning accusations, there has been no meaningful action taken against the culprits.
These examples barely scratch the surface of the grand corruption that has devastated Zimbabwe.
They reflect a pattern where the ruling elite prioritizes personal enrichment over national development.
In such a context, the cries of the hungry, unemployed, and impoverished are not only justified but also necessary.
Citizens speaking out against these injustices are not detractors or enemies of Zimbabwe.
On the contrary, they are patriots who love their country and want to see it thrive.
Their criticism is directed at those in power who have betrayed the nation's trust and squandered its resources.
True patriotism involves holding leaders accountable for their actions, especially when they fail to fulfill their responsibilities.
Zimbabweans criticizing the government's failures are not enemies of the state; they are advocates for a better Zimbabwe.
They desire a country where citizens can live in dignity, self-reliant and free from the shackles of poverty.
The real enemies of Zimbabwe are those in positions of power who loot national resources, mismanage public funds, and stifle accountability.
Surely, what are we to say about our leaders when they apparently see nothing untoward and immoral about purchasing an expensive new Rolls Royce vehicle for the president in the midst of poverty and lack?
These are the individuals undermining the nation's progress and tarnishing its reputation.
President Mnangagwa and his administration need to recognize this reality.
Blaming supposed detractors for Zimbabwe's problems is not only disingenuous but also counterproductive.
The government should focus on addressing the root causes of the nation's challenges rather than deflecting blame.
If those in power governed faithfully and diligently, with zero tolerance for corruption, there would be no need for criticism.
In fact, I, for one, would gladly spend my time writing positive articles praising their achievements and encouraging them to do more.
Unfortunately, the current leadership's failures leave little room for such optimism.
The unrelenting suffering of Zimbabweans demands urgent action.
It is high time for the government to reflect on its role in perpetuating the country's woes and take decisive steps to rectify its shortcomings.
Until then, no amount of rhetoric about "detractors" can mask the truth.
The real enemy of Zimbabwe is not external forces or critical citizens; it is the leadership itself.
If President Mnangagwa truly seeks to unite the nation, he must begin by addressing the corruption, mismanagement, and inefficiency that have become hallmarks of his administration.
Zimbabwe deserves better.
Its people deserve better.
The question is: will the government rise to the occasion, or will it continue to blame imaginary enemies for its self-inflicted wounds?
Time will tell.
But one thing is clear: the voices calling for justice, accountability, and reform will not be silenced.
They are not detractors; they are Zimbabweans demanding what is rightfully theirs-a prosperous, dignified, and united nation.
© Tendai Ruben Mbofana is a social justice advocate and writer. Please feel free to WhatsApp or Call: +26371567700 | +263782283975, or email: mbofana.tendairuben73@gmail.com, or visit website: https://mbofanatendairuben.news.blog/
Source - Tendai Ruben Mbofana
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