Opinion / Columnist
As long as Mnangagwa doesn't acknowledge his own failings, Zimbabwe will not develop
6 hrs ago | Views
Excuses, excuses, and more excuses!
There is no greater hindrance to meaningful development and transformation in Zimbabwe than a leadership that refuses to take responsibility for its own shortcomings.
At the center of this denial is President Emmerson Mnangagwa, whose public addresses consistently reflect an adamant refusal to acknowledge the government's own culpability in the dire political and economic crisis engulfing the nation.
His speech during the Independence Day commemorations in Gokwe-Nembudziya on 18 April was yet another disappointing reminder of this disturbing trend.
To directly receive articles from Tendai Ruben Mbofana, please join his WhatsApp Channel on: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaqprWCIyPtRnKpkHe08
Instead of using the occasion to reflect on the painful realities Zimbabweans face on a daily basis, President Mnangagwa chose once again to place the blame squarely on the shoulders of others.
He pointed at the usual culprits - so-called sanctions imposed by the West, unnamed "detractors" supposedly sowing seeds of division, and climate change.
Yet, he failed, as he always does, to admit that his own government bears the lion's share of the responsibility for the country's continued economic meltdown, collapsing public services, and the poverty affecting over 80 percent of the population.
Even for the sake of argument, let us concede that sanctions, detractors, and climate change are real threats to Zimbabwe's stability. But does the president genuinely believe that his administration is entirely blameless?
Can he not see that the rot lies within?
Can he truly ignore the devastating role played by grand corruption, poor governance, and outright looting of national resources in pushing Zimbabwe over the economic cliff?
Every year, the country bleeds over $3 billion through illicit financial flows, mineral smuggling, and shady tender processes.
Has the president ever seriously addressed how this massive plunder is undermining our economy?
When the Gokwe stadium - intended to host the Independence Day celebrations - was left unfinished despite a year-long preparation, flooded by rainwater, and littered with broken, scattered bucket seats, did the president ask what went wrong?
Wasn't a contractor awarded a tender for this project? If so, who was it, and what happened to the funds?
This is the same president who never gave a convincing answer about the long-forgotten 100 MW Gwanda Solar Plant - a project that could have alleviated our persistent power shortages.
The government, through the state-owned Zimbabwe Electricity Supply Authority (ZESA), paid controversial businessman Wicknell Chivayo $5 million for a project that was never delivered.
Years later, the site remains nothing more than a deserted bush, and no one has been held accountable.
What about the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) scandal?
In 2023, a staggering R1.1 billion was paid to the South African company Ren-Form CC for election materials.
In a highly suspicious twist, the company then transferred R800 million into Chivayo's accounts.
This dubious transaction was flagged by both the South African Revenue Service and the Financial Intelligence Centre, yet the Mnangagwa administration has shown zero interest in investigating it.
That R800 million - about US$43 million - could have bought cancer and dialysis machines to save thousands of lives in Zimbabwe's crumbling health system.
Just this morning, I came across a report that the government is setting aside US$30 million from the "Sugar Tax" to procure cancer machines.
Imagine how many more machines could be purchased if that US$43 million had not been lost to suspicious deals.
Yet, even as this new procurement is announced, how can anyone trust that the process will not be riddled with inflated prices, corrupt kickbacks, and substandard equipment - just as has happened so many times before?
The president's silence on these scandals is deafening.
The issue of gold smuggling alone, which costs Zimbabwe an estimated US$1.5 billion annually, is enough to transform the lives of our people - if only the government took it seriously.
But those involved, usually linked to the ruling elite, are shielded from justice.
When Zimbabwe Miners Federation president Henrietta Rushwaya was caught red-handed trying to smuggle US$330,000 worth of gold, she was slapped with a paltry US$5,000 fine and a suspended 18-month sentence.
A mere tap on the wrist for such a brazen crime.
Yet, in sharp contrast, activists and opposition members demanding accountability are thrown in jail and denied bail under spurious charges.
Corruption has become so entrenched in our governance system that it now threatens not only our economy but national stability itself.
And yet, we are expected to believe that "sanctions" are the root cause of our problems?
How much wealth is lost not to sanctions, but to thieves in designer suits, operating with impunity under the protection of high office?
The truth is, if President Mnangagwa's administration pursued corruption with the same zeal it reserves for clamping down on dissent and protest, Zimbabwe would be in a far better place.
Basic needs would be met.
Zimbabweans would not be reduced to flocking to Independence Day celebrations just for a free meal.
The images of thousands of people braving the mud and heavy rains for two tiny pieces of chicken and a handful of chips are a national shame - a symbol not of patriotism but of hunger.
This has nothing to do with climate change.
It is a result of poor governance, looting, and misplaced priorities.
Communities in Marange, Bikita, and Mutoko, where diamonds, lithium, and black granite are extracted daily, are still celebrating a single borehole or enduring hospitals with no beds and schools with no roofs.
If just a fraction of the billions made from their resources was reinvested into their development, we would not be seeing such disgraceful underdevelopment.
But that does not seem to concern those in power.
These are the urgent issues the president should be addressing in his speeches, instead of rehashing tired excuses and imaginary enemies.
Zimbabwe is not going to move forward if those in leadership continue hiding their heads in the sand.
Acknowledging one's own failings is not a sign of weakness - it is the hallmark of responsible leadership.
As long as President Mnangagwa refuses to accept the extent to which his administration has mismanaged the country, Zimbabweans will continue to sink deeper into poverty and despair.
The people are suffering. The nation is bleeding.
And the president still talks about "detractors" and "climate change" as if those are the only problems we face.
It is high time he looked in the mirror.
Real change begins with honest introspection.
Leadership is about accountability.
As former U.S. President Harry S. Truman famously declared, "The buck stops here."
That principle must apply in Zimbabwe too.
The president must stop blaming shadows and start taking responsibility.
Great leaders are remembered not for their excuses, but for their courage to own up to their mistakes and fix them.
Zimbabwe needs that kind of leadership now - more than ever.
Until then, development will remain a distant dream, and suffering will remain our daily 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/
There is no greater hindrance to meaningful development and transformation in Zimbabwe than a leadership that refuses to take responsibility for its own shortcomings.
At the center of this denial is President Emmerson Mnangagwa, whose public addresses consistently reflect an adamant refusal to acknowledge the government's own culpability in the dire political and economic crisis engulfing the nation.
His speech during the Independence Day commemorations in Gokwe-Nembudziya on 18 April was yet another disappointing reminder of this disturbing trend.
To directly receive articles from Tendai Ruben Mbofana, please join his WhatsApp Channel on: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaqprWCIyPtRnKpkHe08
Instead of using the occasion to reflect on the painful realities Zimbabweans face on a daily basis, President Mnangagwa chose once again to place the blame squarely on the shoulders of others.
He pointed at the usual culprits - so-called sanctions imposed by the West, unnamed "detractors" supposedly sowing seeds of division, and climate change.
Yet, he failed, as he always does, to admit that his own government bears the lion's share of the responsibility for the country's continued economic meltdown, collapsing public services, and the poverty affecting over 80 percent of the population.
Even for the sake of argument, let us concede that sanctions, detractors, and climate change are real threats to Zimbabwe's stability. But does the president genuinely believe that his administration is entirely blameless?
Can he not see that the rot lies within?
Can he truly ignore the devastating role played by grand corruption, poor governance, and outright looting of national resources in pushing Zimbabwe over the economic cliff?
Every year, the country bleeds over $3 billion through illicit financial flows, mineral smuggling, and shady tender processes.
Has the president ever seriously addressed how this massive plunder is undermining our economy?
When the Gokwe stadium - intended to host the Independence Day celebrations - was left unfinished despite a year-long preparation, flooded by rainwater, and littered with broken, scattered bucket seats, did the president ask what went wrong?
Wasn't a contractor awarded a tender for this project? If so, who was it, and what happened to the funds?
This is the same president who never gave a convincing answer about the long-forgotten 100 MW Gwanda Solar Plant - a project that could have alleviated our persistent power shortages.
The government, through the state-owned Zimbabwe Electricity Supply Authority (ZESA), paid controversial businessman Wicknell Chivayo $5 million for a project that was never delivered.
Years later, the site remains nothing more than a deserted bush, and no one has been held accountable.
What about the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) scandal?
In 2023, a staggering R1.1 billion was paid to the South African company Ren-Form CC for election materials.
In a highly suspicious twist, the company then transferred R800 million into Chivayo's accounts.
This dubious transaction was flagged by both the South African Revenue Service and the Financial Intelligence Centre, yet the Mnangagwa administration has shown zero interest in investigating it.
That R800 million - about US$43 million - could have bought cancer and dialysis machines to save thousands of lives in Zimbabwe's crumbling health system.
Just this morning, I came across a report that the government is setting aside US$30 million from the "Sugar Tax" to procure cancer machines.
Imagine how many more machines could be purchased if that US$43 million had not been lost to suspicious deals.
Yet, even as this new procurement is announced, how can anyone trust that the process will not be riddled with inflated prices, corrupt kickbacks, and substandard equipment - just as has happened so many times before?
The president's silence on these scandals is deafening.
The issue of gold smuggling alone, which costs Zimbabwe an estimated US$1.5 billion annually, is enough to transform the lives of our people - if only the government took it seriously.
But those involved, usually linked to the ruling elite, are shielded from justice.
When Zimbabwe Miners Federation president Henrietta Rushwaya was caught red-handed trying to smuggle US$330,000 worth of gold, she was slapped with a paltry US$5,000 fine and a suspended 18-month sentence.
A mere tap on the wrist for such a brazen crime.
Yet, in sharp contrast, activists and opposition members demanding accountability are thrown in jail and denied bail under spurious charges.
Corruption has become so entrenched in our governance system that it now threatens not only our economy but national stability itself.
And yet, we are expected to believe that "sanctions" are the root cause of our problems?
How much wealth is lost not to sanctions, but to thieves in designer suits, operating with impunity under the protection of high office?
The truth is, if President Mnangagwa's administration pursued corruption with the same zeal it reserves for clamping down on dissent and protest, Zimbabwe would be in a far better place.
Basic needs would be met.
Zimbabweans would not be reduced to flocking to Independence Day celebrations just for a free meal.
The images of thousands of people braving the mud and heavy rains for two tiny pieces of chicken and a handful of chips are a national shame - a symbol not of patriotism but of hunger.
This has nothing to do with climate change.
It is a result of poor governance, looting, and misplaced priorities.
Communities in Marange, Bikita, and Mutoko, where diamonds, lithium, and black granite are extracted daily, are still celebrating a single borehole or enduring hospitals with no beds and schools with no roofs.
If just a fraction of the billions made from their resources was reinvested into their development, we would not be seeing such disgraceful underdevelopment.
But that does not seem to concern those in power.
These are the urgent issues the president should be addressing in his speeches, instead of rehashing tired excuses and imaginary enemies.
Zimbabwe is not going to move forward if those in leadership continue hiding their heads in the sand.
Acknowledging one's own failings is not a sign of weakness - it is the hallmark of responsible leadership.
As long as President Mnangagwa refuses to accept the extent to which his administration has mismanaged the country, Zimbabweans will continue to sink deeper into poverty and despair.
The people are suffering. The nation is bleeding.
And the president still talks about "detractors" and "climate change" as if those are the only problems we face.
It is high time he looked in the mirror.
Real change begins with honest introspection.
Leadership is about accountability.
As former U.S. President Harry S. Truman famously declared, "The buck stops here."
That principle must apply in Zimbabwe too.
The president must stop blaming shadows and start taking responsibility.
Great leaders are remembered not for their excuses, but for their courage to own up to their mistakes and fix them.
Zimbabwe needs that kind of leadership now - more than ever.
Until then, development will remain a distant dream, and suffering will remain our daily 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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