‘Telecel saga proves Zimbabwe now a failed state’

HARARE – MDC-T spokesperson Obert Gutu said the raging Telecel saga has just but confirmed that President Robert Mugabe and Zanu PF have managed to run the country down to become a failed state.

“Through decades of lawlessness and in certain cases, brazen disregard of the country’s Constitution, Zanu PF has managed to run down the country leading to the tragic situation whereby Zimbabwe can now qualify to be called a failed state,” Gutu said in a statement.

“As if the violently executed so – called land reform exercise was not enough, the Zanu PF regime remains in self-destruct mode as it continues to craft and implement ruinous policies that have virtually destroyed a once vibrant commercial agricultural sector and also wrecked havoc in both commerce and industry,” reads the statement.

Gutu’s statement comes on the backdrop of a raging ownership wrangle as politically connected Zanu PF business individuals who are related to Mugabe are fighting over the control of the mobile company.

“The Telecel saga where it has been reported that the country’s third largest mobile telephone company is operating without a valid license since last year is clear testimony of the serious and far -reaching policy inconsistencies as well as selective application of the law that is now rampant in the country as the Zanu PF regime continues to run down the various organs of the state,” said Gutu.

“It is on public record that the country’s largest mobile telephone company , Econet Wireless ( Private) Limited , timeously and dutifully paid the licencing fee of US$137 million whereas Telecel Zimbabwe ( Private) Limited has only managed to pay a paltry US$5 million towards the licencing fees. This proves, beyond any reasonable doubt, that the faction – ridden and deeply divided moribund Zanu PF political party can no longer be trusted with the onerous task of running the affairs of state.”

Gutu also said the Telecel issue is only but a tip of the ice-berg in the story of the magnitude of the socio – economic mismanagement of the country by the insipidly corrupt and incompetent ZanuPF regime. The Zimbabwean economy has virtually collapsed and we are now classified as a failed state mainly because of the following factors:

“Lack of clean and safe water in all the cities, towns, growth points and villages countrywide, crippling power shortages that have virtually paralysed industry and agriculture and continued closure of companies and industries are testimony that Zanu PF has failed.

Last year alone close to 6500 people were retrenched with over 52 companies closing shop according to sources at the retrenchment board.

“A chronic and debilitating liquidity crunch that has condemned 90% of the population to poverty, penury and destitution has characterised the Zanu PF government.”

Gutu also said the endemic failure to align the country’s laws with the new Constitution as well as lack of clarity on investment laws and regulations have been a cause for concerns since Zanu PF stole the 2013 polls.

“Zimbabweans shouldn’t be held hostage by the corrupt, incompetent and illegitimate Zanu PF regime that stole the July 31, 2013 harmonised elections. The nation should be allowed to move forward. Mugabe is now a very old man who is also extremely frail and apparently no longer in control of his deeply fractured and divided ZanuPF party,” reads the statement.

“Given the unmitigated collapse of all the instruments of governance coupled with the comatose economy, Robert Mugabe should proceed to do the honourable thing and immediately step down as the head of state to allow legitimate processes leading to the installation of a new and legitimate government.

“The MDC shall not stand by and watch as the Zanu PF gerontocracy continues to run down the country. The time for action is now! Enough!”