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NewsDay

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Mugabe is fiddling while Zimbabwe burns

Politics
Zanu PF officials gather for their annual meeting in Victoria Falls and instead of the nation looking towards the ruling party for solutions,

Zanu PF officials gather for their annual meeting in Victoria Falls and instead of the nation looking towards the ruling party for solutions, the conference looks like an over-the-top get-together of people without an urgent desire to solve the country’s multitude of problems.

NEWSDAY COMMENT

While ordinarily Zimbabweans will be looking for governance plans and economic solutions, history has taught them not to expect anything from the ruling party’s meetings.

It is disturbing that while addressing the Zanu PF central committee meeting ahead of the conference on Wednesday, President Robert Mugabe chose to ignore the economic situation, the electricity shortages or the poisoned socio-political environment, choosing to dwell on narrow party politics.

Mugabe is fiddling while Zimbabwe burns.

Zimbabweans know the Zanu PF succession politics, they have been fed on that diet ad nauseam and it is time the ruling party put aside narrow self-serving politics and for once concentrated on the economy.

Mugabe bemoaned an imminent split in Zanu PF and the reason the party is on the brink is because it has concentrated on issues that have nothing to do with governance, but rather put their interests above those of Zimbabwe.

As the party begins its annual conference, all eyes will be on Victoria Falls, not because Zimbabweans expect any tangible solution, but because the meeting will provide the latest gossip fodder, which will be a distraction from the poverty and misery wrought on them by Zanu PF.

While the economic situation has deteriorated at alarming levels, the Zanu PF summary of the year can be summed up in one word: factionalism.

The country is literally on autopilot while Zanu PF self-destructs. Unfortunately, while Zanu PF is destroying itself, the party seems hellbent on dragging the country with it into the cesspit.

Mugabe and his party have failed where it matters most – that is providing leadership and guidance to the people of Zimbabwe at a time when they are needed the most.

We shudder to even imagine what 2016 holds because if it is more of the same, then the country is doomed.

It has dawned, we believe, even on the staunchest of Zanu PF supporters that the party has no clue on how to dig us out of this mess they created and time for a change of political attitude is long overdue.

Mugabe and his party are yesterday’s men and the sooner they realise that the better for them and for the nation.

History has taught us to be sceptical and we expect nothing new from Zanu PF. In fact, we would not be surprised if this year’s resolutions are the same as those passed in 2013 at the party’s last conference.