×
NewsDay

AMH is an independent media house free from political ties or outside influence. We have four newspapers: The Zimbabwe Independent, a business weekly published every Friday, The Standard, a weekly published every Sunday, and Southern and NewsDay, our daily newspapers. Each has an online edition.

AMHVoices:Zanu PF has let the nation down

AMH Voices
All things are falling apart in Zimbabwe. Nothing is working. With President Robert Mugabe in his 90s...

Each passing day exposes how Zanu PF is fast becoming a threat to the people. With an ageing party leadership behind the nation’s steering wheel and an equally defiant and non-performing economy, Zanu PF has become a liability to us.

By Pardon Maguta,Our Reader

professor-moyo-visits-hit-5

All things are falling apart in Zimbabwe. Nothing is working. With President Robert Mugabe in his 90s and his lieutenants at loggerheads over who will wrestle the power stool after he steps down or is incapacitated — no national progress is taking place. The ugly battle pitting the Lacoste Team against the G40 squad has derailed important national development discourse.

Needless to mention the remnants of Joice Mujuru’s People First, who are still hiding in the post-congress Zanu PF, quietly doing what they know best to dismantle the party.

Only a few days ago we had free comedy from the media when Presidential spokesperson, George Charamba and Higher Education minister Jonathan Moyo had a verbal showdown.

Days later, the war of words escalated with Moyo stepping into the ring again, this time against War Veterans minister Christopher Mutsvangwa. Such verbal wars are not new, but are now a routine in Zanu PF.

This clearly demonstrates that government business is paralysed, as ministers and permanent secretaries engage in destructive intra-party factional wars.

If the truth be told, these clashes have been going on for quite sometime with a little bit of control, but they now seem to be escalating to boiling point. The war of succession is being fed by the President’s advanced age. During his days, Mugabe used to exert maximum control of both party and government duties.

No one can fault him for his failure to do so now. Age is no longer on his side. He now needs to rest. Zanu PF’s decision to make another presidential bid for him in 2018 is ill-advised. In fact, for Mugabe to save this country he must make his exit plan before 2018.

It is necessary that after 35 years in power, marked with both success and failure, Mugabe must step down. What is the use of staying put when he is losing the political plot and grip?

He is a man who has already made history for both good and bad. Stepping down is not a sign of weakness, but strength. There is still a lot to do outside State House.

By relinquishing power he can also save the little of his legacy that is still left. It also allows him to groom a successor before the coming polls. Politicians who believe in his political philosophy can will still knock at his door asking for political advice.

The argument that if he steps down Zanu PF will implode is not true, as it is already imploding right in front of him. It is sad to hear some people saying Zanu PF cannot do without Mugabe, yet the party is already doing nothing with Mugabe.

From being the jewel of Africa we are now a pebble of Africa. Breadbasket-turned-basket-case or cursed basket. All this within Zanu PF and Mugabe’s uninterrupted 35-year stewardship.

The duration of his rule in both Zanu PF and the State makes it impossible for ordinary people to distinguish between his and party failure. Some now think Zanu PF is Mugabe and vice-versa.

Maybe rightly, given the steel command he used to hold over party and national affairs during his 70s and below. His long stay in power is no longer acceptable to both his party and the nation.