Zimbabwe squandered opportunity for prosperity in November 2017- Mashakada

ZwNews Chief Correspondent

The Member of Parliament (MP) for Hatfield, Tapiwa Mashakada says the country; which is currently facing serious economic challenges, wasted the chance to start afresh in November 2017, when former President Robert Mugabe was dislodged from power.

Mugabe whose rule saw the country’s economic environment hitting all time low was dethroned through a united mass protest that was led by the military, after having had ruled Zimbabwe for 37 years.

Speaking in the House of Assembly yesterday, Mashakada said following the efforts in which citizens from all walks of life staged demonstrations that led to Mugabe’s fall, the country should not have rushed to elections.

“Yes, we marched together and after marching together, we could have put in place transitional mechanisms to bridge the gap between the old and new dispensation, and effect the critical economic reforms,” he said.

Mashakada added that some suggestions which were given from various quarters for the setting up of a national transitional authority to carry on economic, electoral, and political reforms could have helped a lot, and the country couldn’t have been in this current mess. According to the legislator, that could have built confidence for economic stabilisation.

He current challenges have something to do with confidence and legitimacy that affect economic responses, added that if people do not have and belief in leaders, the pronouncements they make will be disregarded, and will never work.

When Mugabe was overthrown, there were a lot of talk in town, with ZANU PF members claiming the victory as theirs alone. At the ruling party’s meeting Patrick Chinamasa torched storm when he claimed his party would impeach the then president without help of the opposition when Mugabe tried to hold on to power.

He was criticised for the sentiments, when he was fully aware that they needed opposition members votes to successfully impeach the then iron fisted strongman.

President Emmerson Mnangagwa, who was imposed by the army junta, following Mugabe’s fall went on to declare that the country was headed for elections. His declaration came after there had been calls for a government of national unity.

Many people believed a unity government would have helped steady the ship, whose captain had over the years created more enemies than friends.