Opinion / Columnist
Is 2030 really a done deal, remember 2017
13 hrs ago | 401 Views
When President Emmerson Mnangagwa fled Zimbabwe in November 2017, few could have predicted that within weeks he would be sworn in as the country's leader. At that time, the G40 faction within ZANU-PF, then dominating the political landscape, celebrated his downfall as a "done deal." History, however, proved otherwise. Mnangagwa returned, backed by the military and secured power in a dramatic reversal of fortunes.
Fast forward to today and echoes of that period are surfacing once more. Within ZANU-PF and among its supporters, the mantra "Vision 2030 is a done deal" is repeated with confidence. The ruling party insists that the pathway to an upper-middle-income economy by 2030 is already secured under Mnangagwa's leadership. Loyalists argue that stability, infrastructure projects and mining investments point to an inevitable success story.
Yet, beyond party slogans, Zimbabwe's political reality is more complex. More than three million urban voters, the majority of whom backed the opposition in the 2023 general election, do not share the same optimism. For them, the phrase "done deal" rings hollow. Their votes, cast in Harare, Bulawayo, Gweru, Mutare, and other urban centres, were a clear statement of discontent. They argue that political legitimacy cannot be declared by decree or party propaganda, it must be earned through trust, reform and delivery on promises.
Urban voters, many of whom are young, unemployed and digitally connected, represent a restless demographic that refuses to be sidelined. Their rejection of ZANU-PF's dominance is not just about party politics, it reflects frustrations over collapsing service delivery, persistent power cuts, a weakening currency and widening inequality.
The memory of 2017 is a reminder that in Zimbabwean politics, nothing is ever truly settled. What looked like Mnangagwa's political end became his rebirth. Similarly, declaring 2030 as "already achieved" risks underestimating the growing chorus of dissent from millions who see a very different future.
If ZANU-PF ignores these voices, it may repeat the mistakes of the past, believing that state power is enough to dictate outcomes. The reality is that the ballot box, public opinion and shifting alliances continue to shape Zimbabwe's destiny. Just as 2017 was not a "done deal," 2030 is far from decided.
Hokoyo!!!!!
Engineer Jacob Kudzayi Mutisi
+263772278161
Fast forward to today and echoes of that period are surfacing once more. Within ZANU-PF and among its supporters, the mantra "Vision 2030 is a done deal" is repeated with confidence. The ruling party insists that the pathway to an upper-middle-income economy by 2030 is already secured under Mnangagwa's leadership. Loyalists argue that stability, infrastructure projects and mining investments point to an inevitable success story.
Yet, beyond party slogans, Zimbabwe's political reality is more complex. More than three million urban voters, the majority of whom backed the opposition in the 2023 general election, do not share the same optimism. For them, the phrase "done deal" rings hollow. Their votes, cast in Harare, Bulawayo, Gweru, Mutare, and other urban centres, were a clear statement of discontent. They argue that political legitimacy cannot be declared by decree or party propaganda, it must be earned through trust, reform and delivery on promises.
Urban voters, many of whom are young, unemployed and digitally connected, represent a restless demographic that refuses to be sidelined. Their rejection of ZANU-PF's dominance is not just about party politics, it reflects frustrations over collapsing service delivery, persistent power cuts, a weakening currency and widening inequality.
If ZANU-PF ignores these voices, it may repeat the mistakes of the past, believing that state power is enough to dictate outcomes. The reality is that the ballot box, public opinion and shifting alliances continue to shape Zimbabwe's destiny. Just as 2017 was not a "done deal," 2030 is far from decided.
Hokoyo!!!!!
Engineer Jacob Kudzayi Mutisi
+263772278161
Source - Engineer Jacob Kudzayi Mutisi
All articles and letters published on Bulawayo24 have been independently written by members of Bulawayo24's community. The views of users published on Bulawayo24 are therefore their own and do not necessarily represent the views of Bulawayo24. Bulawayo24 editors also reserve the right to edit or delete any and all comments received.
