Vice-President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s admission that Zimbabwe’s economy has fallen 20 years behind the rest of Africa is significant, but has come too late, opposition MDC-T said yesterday.
BY MOSES MATENGA
Mnangagwa last week told Chinese State television, CCTV, the Zimbabwean government had to swallow its pride and reverse its hardline stance if the country’s economy was to be rehabilitated. MDC-T spokesperson Obert Gutu said the VP’s statements were an indication that the ruling party had failed.
“It’s an admission that the political leadership of the country has completely lost the plot over the past 20 years or so,” Gutu said. ‘While other countries within the Sadc region have progressed very well by embracing democratic credentials and working very hard to develop their economies, Zimbabwe has remained stuck in stagnation.”
He accused President Robert Mugabe of “hanging onto power despite glaring failure on the economic side”, adding that Zimbabwe had built a “strong man” instead of “strong institutions”.
Zimbabwe is now regarded as one of the poorest countries in the world, while her southern African neighbours, Botswana, South Africa, Zambia and Mozambique, were now better off.
The country has been in an “election mode” for the last 15 years, characterised by vicious political fights pitting Zanu PF against the MDC-T.
Political analyst Blessing Vava said while the admission was significant, there was little Zanu PF could do to change the situation.
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“It’s actually good to hear him (Mnangagwa) admitting that they have failed,” he said.
“However, they have been corrupted by power such that they are not willing to step down.
“What’s sad though is that Zimbabwe is backward, something the Zanu PF government caused due to bad economic policies and corruption.” NewsDay readers also took to social media platforms where they slammed Zanu PF policies for stifling economic and infrastructure development over the past 35 years.
A reader identified as Vivian wrote: “Voice of reason coming from the second-in-command, but time for action, VP, time is not on our side.”
Another reader said the demise of the Zimbabwean economy was solely caused by greed in Zanu PF that turned the former breadbasket of Africa into “Gushungo dairy”.
Meanwhile, MDC Renewal Team secretary-general Tendai Biti said the mushrooming of unplanned neighbourhoods like Epworth was an indictment on the Zanu PF leadership.
