ZwNews Chief Correspondent
Sometimes the questions are more important than the answers, so they say; this story is not a news story per se, neither is it a feature. But it is a thought-provoking one instead, aimed at stirring discussions and fruitful debate, as the new season beacons.
The 2018 is slowly coming to a close, the first time since Zimbabwe got a new leader, who happened to be the second one since the country’s first independence in 1980. Zimbabwe had only known Robert Mugabe, as the sole leader, who ruled with the iron fist.
Mugabe was dislodged from the throne through a military coup, for having had given room to corrupt public officials to surround him, to the extent of becoming the untouchables.
He was so arrogant, and blunt in speech to the extent of attending various regional and international forums with no fear of being reprimanded, arrested, or hold to account.
As Mugabe’s rule got from bad to worst, so did the extent of thuggery and thievery among his inner circles.
Anyway, that is all now water under the bridge. Mugabe is gone, and a new captain has taken over the control of the ship.
However, it happened that the man who succeeded Mugabe, former President of Zimbabwe, is not as different to his predecessor as he claims to be, neither is he clean as he should or is expected to be.
Most of the issues and questions to be generated from this piece, would be answered by the hands of time as the year 2019 would be progressing.
In his complimentary statement for the festive season, Zimbabwe’s President Emmerson Mnangagwa highlighted how the coming year would be bumpy and hard, as he tries to turn around the country’s economy for the better.
But how long will it take to stir the ship back on course? Will a year be enough to reverse the effects of nearly four decades of misrule?
Is Mnangagwa the right man for the job, to undo the effects of the ruin he contributed to, as the vice captain of the sinking ship?
After succeeding an equally bad leader, who believed it is good to misgovern one’s country and in being unaccountable to any one. Does he have the needed political will?
Is the economic trajectory he is pursuing the right one and if so, how long will the country have to wait before harvesting the fruits, and if not what should be done?
“Let us give him some time,” his sympathisers have been saying. You can only give someone time in anticipation for the better, provided that someone knows the way, some critics would reply.
Zimbabwe’s economy is heading for a showdown, with prices of basic commodities getting out of hand, massive fuel shortages looming. Few days ago, Minister of Energy, Jorum Gumbo reportedly to a pirate radio station (studio 7) that government is no longer able to deal with the fuel crisis.
Some economist have recently predicted catastrophe in the next coming years, unless President Mnangagwa gets serious on how he deals with corruption, fiscal indiscipline, as well as a political dialogue to address legitimacy issues and restoration of local and foreign investor confidence.
Simply put, Doctor Pedzisai Ruhanya vows; Until and unless ED destroys the neo-patrimonial system constructed by ZANU PF with him being one of its architect for 38 years; the party/state conflation and its parasitic networks. I bet ED can not run a modern economy.”
