Opinion / National
Mnangagwa's first 100 Days: Crossing the river while feeling the rocks
02 Mar 2018 at 07:15hrs | Views
Mnangagwa will complete his first 100 days in office on the 4th of March, 2018. A period of 100 days in power is too short to judge Mnangagwa, but it is certainly long enough a period to judge the direction of the man and his government. The economic and social challenges he faces are inherently daunting, and he is "feeling the rocks as he seek to cross the river."
Mnangagwa's rise into office triggered a tsunami of hope in a country bristling with both ambition and frustration. His inauguration speech promised a new dispensation and a business unusual approach. He claimed that under his rule the country would progress much faster, corruption will be dealt with decisively, Zimbabwe will re-engage with the international community, an equitable and just society and most importantly a government that would listen to the common people. In his words, ‘the voice of the people is the voice of God."
Mnangagwa has found after only three months in office that governance is hard. It isn't as if he didn't already know that. After all, he has held a series of cabinet positions including Minister of State Security, Minister of Rural Housing, Minister of Defence, and Minister of Justice, and served as Vice President for close to 3 years. But as any national leader will attest, its different when the responsibilities of running a government are squarely on your shoulders and you are "the decision maker."
Mnangagwa has won plaudits for a more assertive and dynamic style of leadership. Compared to his predecessor Mnangagwa is clearly out to restore a sense of decisiveness to the Zimbabwe government after years of economic decline and political gridlock accompanied by the stench of corruption in the highest places.
On foreign affairs, Mnangagwa has been a dynamo, setting himself apart from his predecessor who had a toxic foreign policy that resulted in isolation of Zimbabwe. We first caught a glimpse of Mnangagwa's foreign policy ambition when he invited notable SADC current and former heads of states to his inauguration including, Rory Stewart Britain's Minister of State for Africa. Mnangagwa has also signalled his wish to rejoin the commonwealth. He has already paid courtesy calls on 6 regional heads of states and governments. At the World Economic Forum in Davos world leaders and potential investors, were keen to meet Mnangagwa and build up economic ties with Zimbabwe.
Mnangagwa's promise of resuscitating Zimbabwe needs to be divided into two distinct components: improving the quality of governance and administration in government, and pursuing progressive economic policies. In his first 100 days, Mnangagwa has made headway on the former but not so much on the latter.
Mnangagwa pledged to bring leadership, character, and integrity back to the government. What he has accomplished can be compared to cleaning up a messy room, where everything you do seems to make a visible difference. Notable credits include; ensuring policy consistency, clarity, credibility and predictability; trimmed cabinet; zero tolerance for bureaucratic slothfulness; new chart of accounts and manual, accrual accounting, ministry audit committees, etc. However, questions have been raised about the ability of his cabinet to execute his vision. Is his cabinet composed of ‘A' players, whose contribution is not just additive, but exponential in terms of its impact.?
Mnangagwa has shown effort at pushing through key bills which his predecessor had stalled in the past. The long outstanding Land Commission Bill is now awaiting President's assent and gazetting as law. The Electoral Amendment Bill second reading stage started on 15th February, 2018 and recommendations for electoral reform must all be implemented by 31st March, 2018. However, critics have latched on to Mnangagwa's supposedly slow speed to align citizenship act, official secrets act, police act, immigration act, public order and security act with new constitution.
To fight corruption, Mnangagwa's government has set up anti-corruption courts in all the ten provinces, and ZACC has been empowered to investigate corrupt individuals. However, critics say Mnangagwa's promises about cracking down on corruption began to look disingenuous when ZACC appeared selective in its persecution of supposedly G40 supporters, and the courts have achieved zero conviction rate.
Some of the administrative reforms he has done, coupled with a few headline-grabbing infrastructure projects, have signalled to corporate houses and investors - both domestic and foreign - that Zimbabwe is open for business again.
To be fair to Mnangagwa, his government does have some governance and accountability accomplishments to its credit at this point — though few are the sort of heavy-hitting panacea that many hoped for.
On economic policy, Mnangagwa has been able to lay the foundations for strong medium and long-term economic growth. The 2018 budget, though largely a continuation of the old government policies, reflected the new governments priorities and economic direction that it proposes to pursue. Zimbabweans are, however, particularly dissatisfied by the absence of ‘big-bang' economic reforms. Perhaps we expected too much from Mnangagwa considering that he found himself bogged down and held hostage by a paralyzed bureaucracy that probably lacks dynamism and energy.
It is disappointing that Mnangagwa's administration so far has been tepid and devoid of any spectacular steps towards resolving the currency crisis and inflation. Their cageyness on the issue of currency suggest that their solutions to the crisis have not proceeded as planned. Given the cash shortages RBZ has, however, succeeded in accelerating efforts towards a cash-lite society, and more than 96 percent of local transactions are now being conducted through plastic, internet and mobile money.
Mnangagwa has succeeded in breathing new life into government, and this is no small accomplishment. However, going forward, Mnangagwa has to move beyond piecemeal initiatives and publicly outline a broader vision of policy reforms.
However, despite his failure to deliver on some important economic and social goals, it would be unreasonable to write Mnangagwa off this early. His focus on foreign affairs matters represents a recognition of the fact that Zimbabwe can only industrialize and have the much needed liquidity flows if its integrated with the global economy. On domestic issues, both economic and social, Mnangagwa's approach is looking to gain speed and momentum. In any case, it'll take far longer than just 100 days to nurse a limping country into good economic health. Mnangagwa is neither a superman nor a supervillian — he's just a President working within the abnormal constraints of a lumbering economy and convoluted politics.
Zimbabweans may be wondering how Mnangagwa's government has performed given the flood of opinions and debate. The website https://mnangagwameter.polimeter.org is objectively tracking 187 promises of government and reports their current status, purely based on facts and figures.
Vusi Nyamazana, Team Leader - MnangagwaMeter
Mnangagwa's rise into office triggered a tsunami of hope in a country bristling with both ambition and frustration. His inauguration speech promised a new dispensation and a business unusual approach. He claimed that under his rule the country would progress much faster, corruption will be dealt with decisively, Zimbabwe will re-engage with the international community, an equitable and just society and most importantly a government that would listen to the common people. In his words, ‘the voice of the people is the voice of God."
Mnangagwa has found after only three months in office that governance is hard. It isn't as if he didn't already know that. After all, he has held a series of cabinet positions including Minister of State Security, Minister of Rural Housing, Minister of Defence, and Minister of Justice, and served as Vice President for close to 3 years. But as any national leader will attest, its different when the responsibilities of running a government are squarely on your shoulders and you are "the decision maker."
Mnangagwa has won plaudits for a more assertive and dynamic style of leadership. Compared to his predecessor Mnangagwa is clearly out to restore a sense of decisiveness to the Zimbabwe government after years of economic decline and political gridlock accompanied by the stench of corruption in the highest places.
On foreign affairs, Mnangagwa has been a dynamo, setting himself apart from his predecessor who had a toxic foreign policy that resulted in isolation of Zimbabwe. We first caught a glimpse of Mnangagwa's foreign policy ambition when he invited notable SADC current and former heads of states to his inauguration including, Rory Stewart Britain's Minister of State for Africa. Mnangagwa has also signalled his wish to rejoin the commonwealth. He has already paid courtesy calls on 6 regional heads of states and governments. At the World Economic Forum in Davos world leaders and potential investors, were keen to meet Mnangagwa and build up economic ties with Zimbabwe.
Mnangagwa's promise of resuscitating Zimbabwe needs to be divided into two distinct components: improving the quality of governance and administration in government, and pursuing progressive economic policies. In his first 100 days, Mnangagwa has made headway on the former but not so much on the latter.
Mnangagwa pledged to bring leadership, character, and integrity back to the government. What he has accomplished can be compared to cleaning up a messy room, where everything you do seems to make a visible difference. Notable credits include; ensuring policy consistency, clarity, credibility and predictability; trimmed cabinet; zero tolerance for bureaucratic slothfulness; new chart of accounts and manual, accrual accounting, ministry audit committees, etc. However, questions have been raised about the ability of his cabinet to execute his vision. Is his cabinet composed of ‘A' players, whose contribution is not just additive, but exponential in terms of its impact.?
Mnangagwa has shown effort at pushing through key bills which his predecessor had stalled in the past. The long outstanding Land Commission Bill is now awaiting President's assent and gazetting as law. The Electoral Amendment Bill second reading stage started on 15th February, 2018 and recommendations for electoral reform must all be implemented by 31st March, 2018. However, critics have latched on to Mnangagwa's supposedly slow speed to align citizenship act, official secrets act, police act, immigration act, public order and security act with new constitution.
To fight corruption, Mnangagwa's government has set up anti-corruption courts in all the ten provinces, and ZACC has been empowered to investigate corrupt individuals. However, critics say Mnangagwa's promises about cracking down on corruption began to look disingenuous when ZACC appeared selective in its persecution of supposedly G40 supporters, and the courts have achieved zero conviction rate.
Some of the administrative reforms he has done, coupled with a few headline-grabbing infrastructure projects, have signalled to corporate houses and investors - both domestic and foreign - that Zimbabwe is open for business again.
To be fair to Mnangagwa, his government does have some governance and accountability accomplishments to its credit at this point — though few are the sort of heavy-hitting panacea that many hoped for.
On economic policy, Mnangagwa has been able to lay the foundations for strong medium and long-term economic growth. The 2018 budget, though largely a continuation of the old government policies, reflected the new governments priorities and economic direction that it proposes to pursue. Zimbabweans are, however, particularly dissatisfied by the absence of ‘big-bang' economic reforms. Perhaps we expected too much from Mnangagwa considering that he found himself bogged down and held hostage by a paralyzed bureaucracy that probably lacks dynamism and energy.
It is disappointing that Mnangagwa's administration so far has been tepid and devoid of any spectacular steps towards resolving the currency crisis and inflation. Their cageyness on the issue of currency suggest that their solutions to the crisis have not proceeded as planned. Given the cash shortages RBZ has, however, succeeded in accelerating efforts towards a cash-lite society, and more than 96 percent of local transactions are now being conducted through plastic, internet and mobile money.
Mnangagwa has succeeded in breathing new life into government, and this is no small accomplishment. However, going forward, Mnangagwa has to move beyond piecemeal initiatives and publicly outline a broader vision of policy reforms.
However, despite his failure to deliver on some important economic and social goals, it would be unreasonable to write Mnangagwa off this early. His focus on foreign affairs matters represents a recognition of the fact that Zimbabwe can only industrialize and have the much needed liquidity flows if its integrated with the global economy. On domestic issues, both economic and social, Mnangagwa's approach is looking to gain speed and momentum. In any case, it'll take far longer than just 100 days to nurse a limping country into good economic health. Mnangagwa is neither a superman nor a supervillian — he's just a President working within the abnormal constraints of a lumbering economy and convoluted politics.
Zimbabweans may be wondering how Mnangagwa's government has performed given the flood of opinions and debate. The website https://mnangagwameter.polimeter.org is objectively tracking 187 promises of government and reports their current status, purely based on facts and figures.
Vusi Nyamazana, Team Leader - MnangagwaMeter
Source - Vusi Nyamazana
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