Opinion / Columnist
ED can achieve vision 2030 earlier if he obsessed over it as he did extending his presidency
7 hrs ago | Views
President Emmerson Mnangagwa's bid to extend his presidency beyond the constitutionally mandated two five-year terms has sparked intense debate, particularly given the justification being touted for this move.
His supporters argue that he needs additional time to fulfill the nation's ambitious "Vision 2030," an economic policy aimed at transforming Zimbabwe into an "upper middle-income economy" by 2030, where every citizen is expected to enjoy a prosperous life.
While the idea of Vision 2030 sounds appealing on paper, the reality of its feasibility is deeply questionable.
This blueprint fails to address the root causes of the economic collapse that has left over 70% of Zimbabwe's population mired in poverty.
Zimbabwe boasts some of the world's most sought-after mineral wealth, including gold, platinum, diamonds, lithium, black granite, and chromium.
Yet, despite this vast resource base, the country remains gripped by widespread suffering and deprivation.
The reasons for this paradox are clear: unchecked looting of national resources by those in power and their associates.
Corruption and mismanagement have become the norm, with the country losing an estimated $3 billion annually to smuggling, illicit financial transactions, and other corrupt activities.
To directly receive articles from Tendai Ruben Mbofana, please join his WhatsApp Channel on: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaqprWCIyPtRnKpkHe08
Reports of millions of dollars vanishing through questionable contracts with entities like the Zimbabwe Electricity Supply Authority (ZESA) and the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) are far too common.
Scandals like the infamous "Presidential Goat Scheme," where tenders were awarded to allies of the ruling elite but yielded little to no results, further illustrate the rot in governance.
Additionally, Chinese mining companies extracting diamonds, lithium, gold, coal, black granite, and other minerals have operated with impunity, reaping billions of dollars while contributing little to the nation or the communities affected by their activities.
These operations have displaced entire communities from their ancestral lands, often with negligible compensation and without proper consultation.
In many cases, the only infrastructure developed in these regions is temporary and serves solely to facilitate mining activities.
Given these glaring issues, one must ask how Vision 2030 aims to address the root causes of Zimbabwe's economic woes.
The National Development Strategy (NDS), purportedly designed to achieve this vision, remains deafeningly silent on tackling corruption, resource plundering, and corporate accountability.
Without addressing these critical issues, the dream of an "upper middle-income economy" will remain just that—a dream.
The recent push by Mnangagwa and his allies to amend the constitution and extend his term has been marked by unprecedented fervor.
Over the past year, there have been near-weekly gatherings at his Precabe Farm in Kwekwe, where strategies to achieve this goal are plotted.
These meetings have included questionable ZANU-PF affiliates, legislators, and other figures working tirelessly to ensure Mnangagwa remains in power until 2030.
The level of effort and resources being poured into this project is astounding, and it raises an important question: What if all this time, energy, and commitment were directed toward improving the country's economy instead?
Imagine the progress Zimbabwe could have made if Mnangagwa had used his Precabe meetings to address the nation's crippling electricity shortages, which often leave citizens without power for up to 18 hours a day.
What if he had convened business leaders to develop strategies for stabilizing the local currency, creating an attractive investment environment, and generating employment?
What if he had used these gatherings to hold Chinese mining companies accountable, ensuring that their operations complied with the country's laws and genuinely benefited local communities?
What if Mnangagwa had focused on curbing corruption within ZESA, ZEC, and other state institutions, redirecting stolen funds toward revitalizing the health and education sectors, which remain in deplorable conditions?
Zimbabwe's unemployment rate continues to hover at alarming levels, with the majority of the population engaged in informal, low-paying jobs.
Hospitals are chronically underfunded, lacking basic medicines and equipment, while schools struggle with overcrowded classrooms and poorly paid teachers.
These are the pressing issues that should dominate the agenda of any leader genuinely committed to the country's development.
Had Mnangagwa expended as much effort on addressing these challenges as he has on extending his term, Zimbabwe might already be on a path to achieving its Vision 2030 targets.
In fact, if he truly prioritized economic development, the country could potentially reach "upper middle-income" status by 2028—two years ahead of schedule.
This would eliminate any need for a constitutional amendment, allowing Mnangagwa to retire at the end of his current term in 2028, having fulfilled his mandate.
But, of course, this scenario is purely hypothetical because the push for a term extension has nothing to do with fulfilling economic targets or uplifting Zimbabweans.
It is entirely about one man's obsession with clinging to power.
Mnangagwa's motivations are transparent, and they have little to do with the aspirations of ordinary citizens.
This is why it is imperative for the people of Zimbabwe to resist this plan.
The constitution should never be manipulated to serve the ambitions of a single individual.
Mnangagwa's supporters claim that extending his term is necessary to see through Vision 2030, yet the same objective could be achieved within the existing constitutional framework if the president redirected his focus and energy.
In the end, the success of any economic policy lies not in lofty rhetoric or grandiose plans but in addressing the fundamental issues that hinder progress.
Corruption, mismanagement, and unaccountable leadership are the true obstacles standing between Zimbabwe and a prosperous future.
If Mnangagwa truly cared about Vision 2030, he would devote himself to tackling these challenges with the same vigor he has shown in pursuing an extension of his presidency.
Until then, any talk of Vision 2030 remains nothing more than a smokescreen for personal ambition.
It is up to the people of Zimbabwe to demand better—to insist that their leaders prioritize the nation's welfare over their own political survival.
Only then can the dream of a prosperous, inclusive Zimbabwe become a reality.
● 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/
His supporters argue that he needs additional time to fulfill the nation's ambitious "Vision 2030," an economic policy aimed at transforming Zimbabwe into an "upper middle-income economy" by 2030, where every citizen is expected to enjoy a prosperous life.
While the idea of Vision 2030 sounds appealing on paper, the reality of its feasibility is deeply questionable.
This blueprint fails to address the root causes of the economic collapse that has left over 70% of Zimbabwe's population mired in poverty.
Zimbabwe boasts some of the world's most sought-after mineral wealth, including gold, platinum, diamonds, lithium, black granite, and chromium.
Yet, despite this vast resource base, the country remains gripped by widespread suffering and deprivation.
The reasons for this paradox are clear: unchecked looting of national resources by those in power and their associates.
Corruption and mismanagement have become the norm, with the country losing an estimated $3 billion annually to smuggling, illicit financial transactions, and other corrupt activities.
To directly receive articles from Tendai Ruben Mbofana, please join his WhatsApp Channel on: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaqprWCIyPtRnKpkHe08
Reports of millions of dollars vanishing through questionable contracts with entities like the Zimbabwe Electricity Supply Authority (ZESA) and the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) are far too common.
Scandals like the infamous "Presidential Goat Scheme," where tenders were awarded to allies of the ruling elite but yielded little to no results, further illustrate the rot in governance.
Additionally, Chinese mining companies extracting diamonds, lithium, gold, coal, black granite, and other minerals have operated with impunity, reaping billions of dollars while contributing little to the nation or the communities affected by their activities.
These operations have displaced entire communities from their ancestral lands, often with negligible compensation and without proper consultation.
In many cases, the only infrastructure developed in these regions is temporary and serves solely to facilitate mining activities.
Given these glaring issues, one must ask how Vision 2030 aims to address the root causes of Zimbabwe's economic woes.
The National Development Strategy (NDS), purportedly designed to achieve this vision, remains deafeningly silent on tackling corruption, resource plundering, and corporate accountability.
Without addressing these critical issues, the dream of an "upper middle-income economy" will remain just that—a dream.
The recent push by Mnangagwa and his allies to amend the constitution and extend his term has been marked by unprecedented fervor.
Over the past year, there have been near-weekly gatherings at his Precabe Farm in Kwekwe, where strategies to achieve this goal are plotted.
These meetings have included questionable ZANU-PF affiliates, legislators, and other figures working tirelessly to ensure Mnangagwa remains in power until 2030.
The level of effort and resources being poured into this project is astounding, and it raises an important question: What if all this time, energy, and commitment were directed toward improving the country's economy instead?
Imagine the progress Zimbabwe could have made if Mnangagwa had used his Precabe meetings to address the nation's crippling electricity shortages, which often leave citizens without power for up to 18 hours a day.
What if he had convened business leaders to develop strategies for stabilizing the local currency, creating an attractive investment environment, and generating employment?
What if he had used these gatherings to hold Chinese mining companies accountable, ensuring that their operations complied with the country's laws and genuinely benefited local communities?
What if Mnangagwa had focused on curbing corruption within ZESA, ZEC, and other state institutions, redirecting stolen funds toward revitalizing the health and education sectors, which remain in deplorable conditions?
Zimbabwe's unemployment rate continues to hover at alarming levels, with the majority of the population engaged in informal, low-paying jobs.
Hospitals are chronically underfunded, lacking basic medicines and equipment, while schools struggle with overcrowded classrooms and poorly paid teachers.
These are the pressing issues that should dominate the agenda of any leader genuinely committed to the country's development.
Had Mnangagwa expended as much effort on addressing these challenges as he has on extending his term, Zimbabwe might already be on a path to achieving its Vision 2030 targets.
In fact, if he truly prioritized economic development, the country could potentially reach "upper middle-income" status by 2028—two years ahead of schedule.
This would eliminate any need for a constitutional amendment, allowing Mnangagwa to retire at the end of his current term in 2028, having fulfilled his mandate.
But, of course, this scenario is purely hypothetical because the push for a term extension has nothing to do with fulfilling economic targets or uplifting Zimbabweans.
It is entirely about one man's obsession with clinging to power.
Mnangagwa's motivations are transparent, and they have little to do with the aspirations of ordinary citizens.
This is why it is imperative for the people of Zimbabwe to resist this plan.
The constitution should never be manipulated to serve the ambitions of a single individual.
Mnangagwa's supporters claim that extending his term is necessary to see through Vision 2030, yet the same objective could be achieved within the existing constitutional framework if the president redirected his focus and energy.
In the end, the success of any economic policy lies not in lofty rhetoric or grandiose plans but in addressing the fundamental issues that hinder progress.
Corruption, mismanagement, and unaccountable leadership are the true obstacles standing between Zimbabwe and a prosperous future.
If Mnangagwa truly cared about Vision 2030, he would devote himself to tackling these challenges with the same vigor he has shown in pursuing an extension of his presidency.
Until then, any talk of Vision 2030 remains nothing more than a smokescreen for personal ambition.
It is up to the people of Zimbabwe to demand better—to insist that their leaders prioritize the nation's welfare over their own political survival.
Only then can the dream of a prosperous, inclusive Zimbabwe become a reality.
● 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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