Opinion / Columnist
Zimbabwe doesn't need 249 years to fight corruption, Mr. Murwira!
15 hrs ago | Views
The Zimbabwe government never ceases to amaze.
During the recent United States Independence Day commemorations in Harare, the American ambassador to Zimbabwe, Pamela Tremont, described corruption as a "cancer" that is robbing the people of Zimbabwe of their precious resources and destroying the country's investment climate.
She highlighted the need to uproot this cancer in order to create a vibrant and lucrative economic environment.
While her words were bold, honest, and deeply resonant, the response from Zimbabwe's Minister of Foreign Affairs, Amon Murwira, was nothing short of disappointing.
Instead of confronting the harsh reality of institutionalized corruption, he downplayed the severity of the problem, suggesting that Zimbabwe was still "learning" at 45 years of independence - compared to America's 249 years - and implied that this learning curve somehow justified the failure to effectively address corruption.
To directly receive articles from Tendai Ruben Mbofana, please join his WhatsApp Channel on: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaqprWCIyPtRnKpkHe08
This attempt to excuse incompetence and criminality by framing Zimbabwe as a "young" country is both offensive and dangerously misleading.
Do we honestly need 249 years to understand that stealing from the people is wrong?
Must we wait two-and-a-half centuries to realize that awarding public tenders to family and friends, demanding bribes for government approvals, or looting national resources cripples a nation's growth?
That is not learning - that is willful decay.
It is not ignorance - it is deliberate betrayal.
Corruption in Zimbabwe is not some ambiguous, abstract problem.
It is deeply entrenched and visible.
It has created an environment so hostile to investment that even patriotic and capable Zimbabweans, let alone foreign investors, are discouraged from putting their money into the economy.
A country cannot build a healthy investment climate when decisions are made based on personal gain rather than national interest.
Consider the infamous Al Jazeera Gold Mafia documentary.
It exposed the rotten underbelly of our economy, where individuals close to the highest offices of power - such as self-proclaimed prophet Uebert Angel - were seen demanding bribes from those pretending to be investors.
Angel shamelessly promised access to the president and favorable treatment in exchange for kickbacks.
This wasn't hearsay or speculation.
It was caught on camera for the whole world to see.
And what has the government done about it?
Nothing.
In fact, Angel is still roaming freely, untouched, unprosecuted, and presumably still enjoying the privileges of proximity to power.
Even home-grown investors have not been spared.
In 2007, Zimbabwean telecoms mogul Strive Masiyiwa proposed a bold plan to unlock over US$250 million in loans through Econet Wireless to generate more than 500 megawatts of power.
This would have gone a long way toward ending the power shortages we still suffer from today.
But instead of embracing the proposal, those in authority reportedly demanded to be included in the deal before it could be approved.
Masiyiwa, known for his integrity, refused to play along with the corrupt scheme - and the country lost a golden opportunity to secure reliable power.
Today, Zimbabweans endure endless blackouts not because of sanctions or drought, but because of greed.
Public procurement is yet another hotbed of corruption.
Major infrastructure projects are routinely awarded to entities closely linked to the ruling elite, often without any transparent bidding process.
The cost of these projects is often absurdly inflated, draining public funds that could otherwise be used to rehabilitate hospitals, equip schools, or fix broken water systems.
The Mbudzi Interchange in Harare is a glaring example.
The government awarded the project to Fossil Contracting and its partners for a staggering US$88 million - a figure that has raised eyebrows across the region.
More modern and sophisticated interchanges in neighboring countries have been constructed at less than half that amount.
So why are we paying double?
It doesn't stop there.
The recently announced construction of the Chilonga Bridge, to cost US$75 million, is equally baffling.
How can a bridge over a relatively small river cost nearly the same as a full interchange?
What's going on here is not engineering complexity - it's corruption complexity.
These projects are designed, not for the benefit of the public, but to enrich a few well-connected individuals at the expense of millions.
Then there's the Geo Pomona waste management scandal in Harare, where the city reportedly loses an estimated US$90,000 a day in a shady deal awarded to a company with murky ownership.
Public documents circulating in the media have even implicated one of President Emmerson Mnangagwa's sons as being involved in the venture.
The money that should have gone to improving service delivery in the capital is instead vanishing into private pockets.
Meanwhile, residents live among uncollected garbage, burst sewage pipes, and broken infrastructure.
That's the real face of corruption.
Let's imagine a different reality - one where genuine, credible investors are allowed to carry out these projects.
Imagine if the Mbudzi Interchange, even at US$88 million, had been done by an experienced international firm with a proven track record, free of political interference.
We could have had one of the most magnificent and efficient road structures in Africa.
Instead, what we got was substandard work at a premium price.
And that is the story of Zimbabwe under corruption.
Transparency International's Corruption Perceptions Index ranks Zimbabwe as the most corrupt country in Southern Africa, with a pitiful score of just 21 out of 100.
That is not something that happens by accident or because we're "still learning."
It is the result of systemic rot, enabled and protected by those in power.
So, I ask Minister Murwira: does Zimbabwe truly need 249 years to stop awarding tenders to relatives and cronies?
Do we need 249 years to realize that demanding bribes is immoral?
Does it take centuries to understand that corruption is robbing the nation and its people of their future?
If his answer is yes, then that is deeply unnerving.
It would suggest that Zimbabweans are inherently predisposed to thievery and moral failure, and need generations of rehabilitation.
That would be an insult to the hardworking, honest citizens of this country - most of whom toil under difficult conditions, not because they are lazy or incapable, but because their efforts are constantly undermined by a corrupt system that rewards dishonesty and punishes integrity.
The truth is Zimbabwe doesn't need time.
We don't need lessons in morality.
We already know what is right and what is wrong.
What we need is action - immediate and uncompromising.
Those who benefit from corruption will never willingly give it up.
That is why they are now claiming we need "time" - to buy themselves more years of looting unchecked.
It is time the people of Zimbabwe took a stand.
We must refuse to be spectators in the destruction of our country.
Sitting back and complaining is a luxury we can no longer afford.
The future of our nation - and our children's lives - depends on our courage to speak out, to organize, and to challenge the system head-on.
We are not 249 years too young. We are 45 years too late.
© 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/
During the recent United States Independence Day commemorations in Harare, the American ambassador to Zimbabwe, Pamela Tremont, described corruption as a "cancer" that is robbing the people of Zimbabwe of their precious resources and destroying the country's investment climate.
She highlighted the need to uproot this cancer in order to create a vibrant and lucrative economic environment.
While her words were bold, honest, and deeply resonant, the response from Zimbabwe's Minister of Foreign Affairs, Amon Murwira, was nothing short of disappointing.
Instead of confronting the harsh reality of institutionalized corruption, he downplayed the severity of the problem, suggesting that Zimbabwe was still "learning" at 45 years of independence - compared to America's 249 years - and implied that this learning curve somehow justified the failure to effectively address corruption.
To directly receive articles from Tendai Ruben Mbofana, please join his WhatsApp Channel on: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaqprWCIyPtRnKpkHe08
This attempt to excuse incompetence and criminality by framing Zimbabwe as a "young" country is both offensive and dangerously misleading.
Do we honestly need 249 years to understand that stealing from the people is wrong?
Must we wait two-and-a-half centuries to realize that awarding public tenders to family and friends, demanding bribes for government approvals, or looting national resources cripples a nation's growth?
That is not learning - that is willful decay.
It is not ignorance - it is deliberate betrayal.
Corruption in Zimbabwe is not some ambiguous, abstract problem.
It is deeply entrenched and visible.
It has created an environment so hostile to investment that even patriotic and capable Zimbabweans, let alone foreign investors, are discouraged from putting their money into the economy.
A country cannot build a healthy investment climate when decisions are made based on personal gain rather than national interest.
Consider the infamous Al Jazeera Gold Mafia documentary.
It exposed the rotten underbelly of our economy, where individuals close to the highest offices of power - such as self-proclaimed prophet Uebert Angel - were seen demanding bribes from those pretending to be investors.
Angel shamelessly promised access to the president and favorable treatment in exchange for kickbacks.
This wasn't hearsay or speculation.
It was caught on camera for the whole world to see.
And what has the government done about it?
Nothing.
In fact, Angel is still roaming freely, untouched, unprosecuted, and presumably still enjoying the privileges of proximity to power.
Even home-grown investors have not been spared.
In 2007, Zimbabwean telecoms mogul Strive Masiyiwa proposed a bold plan to unlock over US$250 million in loans through Econet Wireless to generate more than 500 megawatts of power.
This would have gone a long way toward ending the power shortages we still suffer from today.
But instead of embracing the proposal, those in authority reportedly demanded to be included in the deal before it could be approved.
Masiyiwa, known for his integrity, refused to play along with the corrupt scheme - and the country lost a golden opportunity to secure reliable power.
Today, Zimbabweans endure endless blackouts not because of sanctions or drought, but because of greed.
Public procurement is yet another hotbed of corruption.
Major infrastructure projects are routinely awarded to entities closely linked to the ruling elite, often without any transparent bidding process.
The cost of these projects is often absurdly inflated, draining public funds that could otherwise be used to rehabilitate hospitals, equip schools, or fix broken water systems.
The Mbudzi Interchange in Harare is a glaring example.
The government awarded the project to Fossil Contracting and its partners for a staggering US$88 million - a figure that has raised eyebrows across the region.
More modern and sophisticated interchanges in neighboring countries have been constructed at less than half that amount.
So why are we paying double?
It doesn't stop there.
The recently announced construction of the Chilonga Bridge, to cost US$75 million, is equally baffling.
How can a bridge over a relatively small river cost nearly the same as a full interchange?
What's going on here is not engineering complexity - it's corruption complexity.
These projects are designed, not for the benefit of the public, but to enrich a few well-connected individuals at the expense of millions.
Then there's the Geo Pomona waste management scandal in Harare, where the city reportedly loses an estimated US$90,000 a day in a shady deal awarded to a company with murky ownership.
Public documents circulating in the media have even implicated one of President Emmerson Mnangagwa's sons as being involved in the venture.
The money that should have gone to improving service delivery in the capital is instead vanishing into private pockets.
Meanwhile, residents live among uncollected garbage, burst sewage pipes, and broken infrastructure.
That's the real face of corruption.
Let's imagine a different reality - one where genuine, credible investors are allowed to carry out these projects.
Imagine if the Mbudzi Interchange, even at US$88 million, had been done by an experienced international firm with a proven track record, free of political interference.
We could have had one of the most magnificent and efficient road structures in Africa.
Instead, what we got was substandard work at a premium price.
And that is the story of Zimbabwe under corruption.
Transparency International's Corruption Perceptions Index ranks Zimbabwe as the most corrupt country in Southern Africa, with a pitiful score of just 21 out of 100.
That is not something that happens by accident or because we're "still learning."
It is the result of systemic rot, enabled and protected by those in power.
So, I ask Minister Murwira: does Zimbabwe truly need 249 years to stop awarding tenders to relatives and cronies?
Do we need 249 years to realize that demanding bribes is immoral?
Does it take centuries to understand that corruption is robbing the nation and its people of their future?
If his answer is yes, then that is deeply unnerving.
It would suggest that Zimbabweans are inherently predisposed to thievery and moral failure, and need generations of rehabilitation.
That would be an insult to the hardworking, honest citizens of this country - most of whom toil under difficult conditions, not because they are lazy or incapable, but because their efforts are constantly undermined by a corrupt system that rewards dishonesty and punishes integrity.
The truth is Zimbabwe doesn't need time.
We don't need lessons in morality.
We already know what is right and what is wrong.
What we need is action - immediate and uncompromising.
Those who benefit from corruption will never willingly give it up.
That is why they are now claiming we need "time" - to buy themselves more years of looting unchecked.
It is time the people of Zimbabwe took a stand.
We must refuse to be spectators in the destruction of our country.
Sitting back and complaining is a luxury we can no longer afford.
The future of our nation - and our children's lives - depends on our courage to speak out, to organize, and to challenge the system head-on.
We are not 249 years too young. We are 45 years too late.
© 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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