Mugabe is also a crisis

By Jacob Mafume

The claims by Mugabe at the World Economic Forum that there is no crisis in Zimbabwe, is clear a sign that he lives in a reality distorted field. As a foreign based President who once in a while visits the country he claims to lead, he probably mistakes Zimbabwe for Malaysia or Singapore where he spends much of his time.

The suggestion that Zimbabwe is Africa’s second most developed economy is pathological & reflective of exhaustion, cognitive dissonance and dementia.

Any person who shares the same view as the one presented by Mugabe at the WEF would be morally, ethically and cognitively sick. Such thinking needs medical or even surgical correction.

The balance sheet reflects a country that had a typhoid outbreak which affected thousands, scores of lives lost and a cholera scare a few months ago.

Mugabe could have seen even on Google that GDP for 2015 was -1.8% and -3.8% for 2016. Our independent calculations mentioned in the State of Economy Address of December 2016 show a further decline, other institutions like the generous IMF also confirm economic decline.

These facts confirm something more than a crisis.

Taking a walk in the streets of Harare especially down town and 4th street reflects  hallmarks of a war torn city, that of filthiness, disorder and utter chaos. As we said before it reflects a post war Monrovia, Freetown or Kinshasa.

There is a banking crisis crippling the economy, thousands of Zimbabweans sleep in bank queues every day. Companies are no longer able to import necessities including basics owing to the RBZ’s shenanigans on NOSTRO accounts coupled with the insanity of the bond notes.

The government has on its own admittance, confirmed that they are now running a budget deficit of more than 42% financed through toxic treasury bills something not only illegal but also poses catastrophic consequences.

Courtesy of Mugabe’s poor leadership, the country is now the pothole capital of Southern Africa. Mugabe needs to realise his ignorance is itself a crisis.

Talking about development, Mugabe must remember even in his old age that 70% of the roads in Zimbabwe are not paved.

69% of citizens in Matabeleland still use the bush for ablution, the people in Binga and many other rural parts of Zimbabwe wake up odd ours to catch the only bus. As a result the people of Matabeleland North contrary to the new trend of non-communicable diseases die of snake bites or are killed by wild animals.

By every measure Zimbabwe is a fragile state, the economy is weak and vulnerable, there are large internal disparities in income, wealth and access to services. The fiscal balance is in a new definition of deficit and a high debt encumbers economic prospects.

The rule of law, enforcement of property rights are weakened by shocking levels of corruption coupled by high political interference in the judiciary.

As a matter of fact Chinamasa’s new friends, the IMF confirm in a recent report that Zimbabwe is part of the group of Sub-Sahara countries who digressed.

The first step in the right direction for Mugabe is to accept his failure and that his time is up. He must leave office and allow the people of Zimbabwe to open a new chapter of economic stability and the subsequent aim of creating resilience.

Together Another Zimbabwe is Possible

Jacob Mafume

PDP Spokesperson