Zimbabwe: Africa's best-kept secret?

I don't know what I was expecting when I arrived in Zimbabwe. It certainly wasn't to land in the most developed country I had ever visited in Africa aside from South Africa (and I have been in quite a few countries throughout the continent). After years of hearing bad things about Zimbabwe, I was surprised not to find a more desolate and dangerous place.

The roads are better than in most African countries, although apparently they are in worse condition than they have ever been. Urban planning seems to have been well thought through in the capital Harare with wide avenues leaving ample space for motorists, pedestrians, and even cyclists, meaning traffic jams are less common than in other African cities.

The streets are not filled with the affordable and robust Toyota automobiles, which are well known for being able to handle potholes, the main characteristic of an African street. On the contrary, one sees Mercedes, Lexus, Opel, and Volkswagen cars, emphasising Zimbabwe's better road conditions and the historically higher purchasing power of its people.

At first sight, Zimbabwe already defies expectations. In essence, the country seems a lot more attractive than the international media coverage would suggest.

A country held captive by its past
Zimbabwe's apparent sophistication may be one of the reasons why it is still in a gridlock. Once one of Africa's wealthiest nations, the country has suffered political and economic mismanagement that has prevented it from realising its potential over the last several decades.

Despite this, even today many Africans outside of the country revere the country's long-serving president Robert Mugabe. He liberated Zimbabwe from the colonial oppressor and created a place that, on the surface, is more developed than theirs. African leaders don't understand why Zimbabweans are complaining. They live better lives and are more educated than most of their African peers. So why would they condemn him? On the contrary, Mugabe has recently been named chairman of the African Union, Africa's largest political body, thereby encouraging, rather than condemning, his leadership style.

For Zimbabweans, Mugabe is both a hero and a villain. Herein lies the paradox that explains why Zimbabweans are paralysed and have accepted the repeated destruction of the economy by the country's political leaders. Even though Mugabe has limited their freedom and fostered toxic external relations that led to international sanctions, Zimbabweans cannot rebel against Mugabe and his Zanu-PF party. Mugabe liberated Zimbabweans, he gave them back the land that was rightfully theirs, and he educated them.

Read Anna Rosenberg's full article >>> HERE



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Anna Rosenberg, Head of Frontier Strategy Group's Sub-Saharan Africa Research practice, recently on a research trip in Harare, finds that Zimbabwe holds large opportunities for business, despite the country's dire economic and political crisis. Follow Anna on twitter @anna_rosenberg