Opinion / Columnist
Zimbabweans will never be fooled into celebrating looters disguised as entrepreneurs
3 hrs ago | Views
The gaslighting and deception may continue, but a wolf in sheep's clothing will never become a sheep.
When Chief Presidential Communications Director Dr. Anyway Mutambudzi declared that Zimbabweans should celebrate their "Zvigananda" just as Nigerians celebrate Aliko Dangote or Americans celebrate Elon Musk, he was not only being disingenuous — he was insulting the intelligence of an already suffering people.
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To suggest that Zimbabweans who question the wealth of politically connected elites are somehow envious of success is not only false but a deliberate attempt to gaslight citizens into silence.
Zimbabweans have never had a problem celebrating genuine entrepreneurs.
On the contrary, we take immense pride in those who rise through innovation, resilience, and integrity.
Take Strive Masiyiwa, for instance.
Here is a man who built Econet Wireless into a continental telecommunications giant, created thousands of jobs, and is listed among Africa's richest people by globally recognized institutions such as Forbes.
His success story is well-documented: he fought protracted legal battles against a government that tried everything to stop him from operating in his own country until then Vice President Joshua Nkomo intervened.
Masiyiwa's name is celebrated across Africa and the world, and Zimbabweans speak of him with nothing but admiration.
Where is the jealousy Mutambudzi speaks of?
The truth is simple: Zimbabweans will celebrate wealth that is earned, but we will never glorify wealth that is stolen.
Mutambudzi must stop pretending not to know the difference.
When he claims that Zimbabweans vilify their wealthy, what he deliberately leaves unsaid is the character of the so-called wealthy he wants us to respect.
The "Zvigananda" he defends are not builders of industries, but beneficiaries of patronage networks.
Their empires are sustained not by innovation or competitiveness but by proximity to political power.
They thrive in opaque deals, questionable tenders, and state capture schemes that have plunged millions of Zimbabweans into poverty while lining the pockets of a privileged few.
Is Mutambudzi really equating Aliko Dangote — whose cement plants, refineries, and factories employ tens of thousands across Africa — with individuals in Zimbabwe whose only visible business model is government contracts awarded without transparency?
Is he seriously likening Elon Musk — whose companies produce electric cars, rockets, and solar technologies transforming the global economy — to those whose primary claim to wealth is looting natural resources or controlling state monopolies through backroom deals?
If that is his claim, then he must provide proof that Dangote and Musk are also looters destroying their nations.
If such evidence exists, Nigerians and Americans would surely stop celebrating them and hold them to account.
But of course, no such evidence exists.
Dangote and Musk are globally scrutinized figures.
Their companies are listed on major stock exchanges, their wealth is independently audited, and their achievements are tangible.
Zimbabwe's Zvigananda, on the other hand, do not appear on Forbes or Bloomberg rich lists because their wealth cannot withstand such scrutiny.
There are no clear records, no transparent valuations, and no credible documentation of how they acquired their riches.
Instead, what Zimbabweans see is a handful of individuals flaunting luxury cars, private jets, and obscene wealth while the majority of the population struggles to afford a decent meal.
Mutambudzi must stop pretending to be confused.
Zimbabweans know the difference between an entrepreneur and a looter.
We are not fools.
We will not be manipulated into accepting thieves as national icons under the pretext that we are too jealous to celebrate success.
What Zimbabweans are doing is exercising their civic responsibility by demanding accountability and justice.
When citizens ask how certain individuals become billionaires overnight in a collapsed economy, they are not being envious — they are being responsible.
When they question the awarding of multi-million-dollar energy or mining contracts to companies with no track record, they are not "vilifying success" — they are seeking answers that any democracy should demand.
To dismiss these legitimate concerns as jealousy is not only dishonest but dangerous.
It creates a culture where corruption is normalized, where accountability is mocked, and where those who dare to demand justice are labeled as unpatriotic.
This is how nations lose their moral compass.
Let us be clear: Zimbabweans will celebrate their own wealthy when that wealth is legitimate.
We would take pride in our Dangote if one emerged through genuine innovation, hard work, and contribution to national development.
We would proudly support our own Elon Musk if he or she built industries that created jobs and put Zimbabwe on the global map.
But we will never celebrate individuals whose riches are directly tied to the suffering of the nation.
We will not celebrate those who acquire banks, mines, and fuel companies through shady takeovers with no competitive process.
We will not celebrate those who build mansions while hospitals collapse, schools deteriorate, and millions of citizens are driven into abject poverty.
We will not celebrate those who have turned political connections into personal cash machines.
Mutambudzi's attempt to paint Zimbabweans as jealous of their own wealthy is nothing more than gaslighting — a manipulative tactic meant to shame the public into silence.
But the people of Zimbabwe are not so easily fooled.
We know that Strive Masiyiwa is celebrated.
We know that no one begrudges his success.
And we also know why the ruling elite tried so hard to block his rise.
So the question is not why Zimbabweans don't celebrate wealth, but why the government itself refuses to celebrate and support genuine entrepreneurs.
Was it not jealousy and fear that drove the state to try and crush Masiyiwa?
The truth is, Zimbabweans are not against wealth.
We are against theft disguised as wealth.
We are against plunder dressed up as entrepreneurship.
We are against those who use their power not to build, but to loot.
The only place Zimbabweans want to see these so-called Zvigananda is not on a pedestal, but in the dock of a court of law answering for their crimes.
That is where they belong.
If Mutambudzi and those who think like him want us to celebrate the wealthy, then they should build a system that rewards genuine enterprise.
Create an environment where merit triumphs over manipulation, where innovation matters more than political connections, and where transparency is the foundation of business.
Then, and only then, will Zimbabwe produce entrepreneurs worthy of national pride.
Until that day, Zimbabweans will continue to reject attempts to glorify looters.
We will continue to demand justice, transparency, and accountability.
And we will never be bullied into mistaking criminals for heroes.
Because celebrating thieves is not patriotism.
It is national suicide.
© 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/
When Chief Presidential Communications Director Dr. Anyway Mutambudzi declared that Zimbabweans should celebrate their "Zvigananda" just as Nigerians celebrate Aliko Dangote or Americans celebrate Elon Musk, he was not only being disingenuous — he was insulting the intelligence of an already suffering people.
To directly receive articles from Tendai Ruben Mbofana, please join his WhatsApp Channel on: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaqprWCIyPtRnKpkHe08
To suggest that Zimbabweans who question the wealth of politically connected elites are somehow envious of success is not only false but a deliberate attempt to gaslight citizens into silence.
Zimbabweans have never had a problem celebrating genuine entrepreneurs.
On the contrary, we take immense pride in those who rise through innovation, resilience, and integrity.
Take Strive Masiyiwa, for instance.
Here is a man who built Econet Wireless into a continental telecommunications giant, created thousands of jobs, and is listed among Africa's richest people by globally recognized institutions such as Forbes.
His success story is well-documented: he fought protracted legal battles against a government that tried everything to stop him from operating in his own country until then Vice President Joshua Nkomo intervened.
Masiyiwa's name is celebrated across Africa and the world, and Zimbabweans speak of him with nothing but admiration.
Where is the jealousy Mutambudzi speaks of?
The truth is simple: Zimbabweans will celebrate wealth that is earned, but we will never glorify wealth that is stolen.
Mutambudzi must stop pretending not to know the difference.
When he claims that Zimbabweans vilify their wealthy, what he deliberately leaves unsaid is the character of the so-called wealthy he wants us to respect.
The "Zvigananda" he defends are not builders of industries, but beneficiaries of patronage networks.
Their empires are sustained not by innovation or competitiveness but by proximity to political power.
They thrive in opaque deals, questionable tenders, and state capture schemes that have plunged millions of Zimbabweans into poverty while lining the pockets of a privileged few.
Is Mutambudzi really equating Aliko Dangote — whose cement plants, refineries, and factories employ tens of thousands across Africa — with individuals in Zimbabwe whose only visible business model is government contracts awarded without transparency?
Is he seriously likening Elon Musk — whose companies produce electric cars, rockets, and solar technologies transforming the global economy — to those whose primary claim to wealth is looting natural resources or controlling state monopolies through backroom deals?
If that is his claim, then he must provide proof that Dangote and Musk are also looters destroying their nations.
If such evidence exists, Nigerians and Americans would surely stop celebrating them and hold them to account.
But of course, no such evidence exists.
Dangote and Musk are globally scrutinized figures.
Their companies are listed on major stock exchanges, their wealth is independently audited, and their achievements are tangible.
Zimbabwe's Zvigananda, on the other hand, do not appear on Forbes or Bloomberg rich lists because their wealth cannot withstand such scrutiny.
There are no clear records, no transparent valuations, and no credible documentation of how they acquired their riches.
Instead, what Zimbabweans see is a handful of individuals flaunting luxury cars, private jets, and obscene wealth while the majority of the population struggles to afford a decent meal.
Mutambudzi must stop pretending to be confused.
Zimbabweans know the difference between an entrepreneur and a looter.
We are not fools.
We will not be manipulated into accepting thieves as national icons under the pretext that we are too jealous to celebrate success.
What Zimbabweans are doing is exercising their civic responsibility by demanding accountability and justice.
When citizens ask how certain individuals become billionaires overnight in a collapsed economy, they are not being envious — they are being responsible.
To dismiss these legitimate concerns as jealousy is not only dishonest but dangerous.
It creates a culture where corruption is normalized, where accountability is mocked, and where those who dare to demand justice are labeled as unpatriotic.
This is how nations lose their moral compass.
Let us be clear: Zimbabweans will celebrate their own wealthy when that wealth is legitimate.
We would take pride in our Dangote if one emerged through genuine innovation, hard work, and contribution to national development.
We would proudly support our own Elon Musk if he or she built industries that created jobs and put Zimbabwe on the global map.
But we will never celebrate individuals whose riches are directly tied to the suffering of the nation.
We will not celebrate those who acquire banks, mines, and fuel companies through shady takeovers with no competitive process.
We will not celebrate those who build mansions while hospitals collapse, schools deteriorate, and millions of citizens are driven into abject poverty.
We will not celebrate those who have turned political connections into personal cash machines.
Mutambudzi's attempt to paint Zimbabweans as jealous of their own wealthy is nothing more than gaslighting — a manipulative tactic meant to shame the public into silence.
But the people of Zimbabwe are not so easily fooled.
We know that Strive Masiyiwa is celebrated.
We know that no one begrudges his success.
And we also know why the ruling elite tried so hard to block his rise.
So the question is not why Zimbabweans don't celebrate wealth, but why the government itself refuses to celebrate and support genuine entrepreneurs.
Was it not jealousy and fear that drove the state to try and crush Masiyiwa?
The truth is, Zimbabweans are not against wealth.
We are against theft disguised as wealth.
We are against plunder dressed up as entrepreneurship.
We are against those who use their power not to build, but to loot.
The only place Zimbabweans want to see these so-called Zvigananda is not on a pedestal, but in the dock of a court of law answering for their crimes.
That is where they belong.
If Mutambudzi and those who think like him want us to celebrate the wealthy, then they should build a system that rewards genuine enterprise.
Create an environment where merit triumphs over manipulation, where innovation matters more than political connections, and where transparency is the foundation of business.
Then, and only then, will Zimbabwe produce entrepreneurs worthy of national pride.
Until that day, Zimbabweans will continue to reject attempts to glorify looters.
We will continue to demand justice, transparency, and accountability.
And we will never be bullied into mistaking criminals for heroes.
Because celebrating thieves is not patriotism.
It is national suicide.
© 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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