THE naming and shaming that Zimbabweans were promised by President Emmerson Mnangagwa concerning individuals and companies accused of externalising the country’s financial resources has turned out to be a damp squib.
In fact this has turned out to be hot air and no substance. It is a real shame.
We believe that the list — largely naming and shaming the Chinese and big mining companies where government has interests — fell far short of public expectation as it spared suspected key individuals in Mnangagwa’s government who have been for long reported to have been siphoning national wealth out of the country.
Mnangagwa must be put to task. Was this list just thumb-sucked or it was a result of investigations? We believe the outcome of the so-called investigations simply confirm that we are still a long way from shedding off the cloak of “Mugabeism”. There is real need to bite the bullet and tell the truth as it is if the new regime is to inspire confidence. With the departure of former President Robert Mugabe, there is no going back on that, but citizens must be made to believe rather than think it’s a new “error”.
During the Mugabe era, it was the same script where there were always threats to name and shame, and it ended there, yet the known culprits were recycled in government over and over again even as they continued to loot.
What is clear is that following the release of Mnangagwa’s list, one gets the feeling that in many ways the same song is still playing over and over again. Should Zimbabweans continue to believe in successive Zanu PF regimes?
The majority of Zimbabweans rightly expected to see top Zanu PF politicians topping the list after many years in power but sadly, this was a missed opportunity that Mnangagwa could have used in his favour as it was likely to win him the trust of many people currently sitting on the fence.
The fact that there were several State firms on the black list means government itself must lead by example in cleaning up its act, for you can’t accuse the next person of the very crimes that you are committing.
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Unless corruption in the corridors of power is sincerely and zealously dealt with in the post-Mugabe era, there will be definitely nothing new given its contribution to economic and social demise.
It is our hope that in future, this matter will be revisited and dealt with the vigour and honesty that it needs for it to be real and believable.
Otherwise, Mnangagwa must show that he means business, not this crap.
