‘Mnangagwa admits failure, he must go’ says opposition MDC

By Nyashadzashe Ndoro

The main opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) has told President Emmerson Mnangagwa to step down following his admission to the BBC on Wednesday that the deteriorating state of the economy is due to decades of bad decisions by his ruling Zanu PF party.

Mnangagwa on Wednesday told his party’s politburo to shut out “negative noise” despite Zimbabwe’s economy facing its worst crisis in a decade.

“The party cannot afford to be preoccupied with sideshows and negative noises meant to cause despondency among our membership. The party should remain united and disciplined with us as members of the politburo leading the way,” Mnangagwa said.

“We expect reports highlighting concrete milestones achieved to date. Those targets within the manifesto that are lagging behind must be highlighted and intervention strategies proffered. The party must deliver on its promises,” Mnangagwa said.

The opposition party accused Mnangagwa of failing the economy and wanting to consolidate power. In Zimbabwe, poverty and unemployment are both endemic, driven by a shrinking economy and hyper-inflation.

The MDC said that it was “not only shocking but disrespectful” that the Zanu PF leader wanted to be given another chance in the upcoming 2023 harmonised elections.

“A report in today’s NewsDay in which Mnangagwa admits to failure then sensationally demands another term is not only shocking but disrespectful of the suffering Zimbabwean people.

“Once the admission is made that Zanu PF has failed, that closes the matter. A government’s presence in office is for no other reason besides delivery.

“In this case delivery is not there, the economy has collapsed, there is no food, fuel and electricity yet Mnangagwa and Mthuli Ncube have consistently claimed that the country is back on track, while publicly accepting to his Politburo that he has dismally failed to deliver.

“Knowing the consequences of failure, Mnangagwa now wants to focus on power retention, service is what keeps people in office. The MDC is on record, that an illegitimate government will never deliver, it only has a narrow interest of self-aggrandisement and power retention. 

“If you have failed, by your own admission, why should we reward failure in 2023?” the MDC queried.

Journalist Hopewell Chin’ono accused Mnangagwa of wanting more years of violating Human Rights in Zimbabwe.

“He wants another chance in 2023 to LOOT, Kill, Rape, Abduct, subject us to a country with NO Jobs, Electricity, Healthcare, decent Schools, Passports, drinking Water, Mealie-meal, Rule of Law, decent Roads and civil service Wages, Fuel, Forex and Cash Money, local and foreign Investment.”

This is not the first time Mnangagwa admitted failing.

In 2018, the Zanu PF leader admitted that the ruling party had failed the economy when he was asked by BBC reporter Mishal Husain during the World Economic Forum (WEF) annual meeting in Davos, Switzerland, whether the state of the economy was due to many years of bad decisions from a ruling party in which he was a central figure.

Meanwhile, on Monday, the United States President Donald Trump extended by one year sanctions against Mnangagwa’s regime. Nehanda Radio